Russia ponders putting nuclear power plant on the moon with China

Roscosmos space agency chief Yuri Borisov says the project, being considered for 2033-2035, could eventually allow the building of lunar settlements

Russian also plans to build a nuclear-powered cargo spaceship to transport large cargoes from one orbit to another and collect space debris

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Russia and China have been jointly working on a lunar programme and Moscow is able to contribute with its expertise on “nuclear space energy”, Roscosmos head Yuri Borisov says. Image: Shutterstock

Published: 1:14am, 6 Mar 2024Updated: 11:00am, 6 Mar 2024

Russia and China are considering putting a nuclear power plant on the moon from 2033-35, Yuri Borisov, the head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos said, something he said could one day allow lunar settlements to be built.

Borisov, a former deputy defence minister, said that Russia and China had been jointly working on a lunar programme and that Moscow was able to contribute with its expertise on “nuclear space energy”.

“Today we are seriously considering a project – somewhere at the turn of 2033-2035 – to deliver and install a power unit on the lunar surface together with our Chinese colleagues,” Borisov said on Tuesday.

Solar panels would not be able to provide enough electricity to power future lunar settlements, he said, while nuclear power could.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (centre), accompanied by Roscosmos head Yuri Borisov (right), visits the centre of the Rocket and Space Corporation “Energia” in Korolyov outside Moscow in October 2023. Photo: Sputnik via Reuters

“This is a very serious challenge … it should be done in automatic mode, without the presence of humans,” he said of the possible plan.

Borisov spoke also of Russian plans to build a nuclear-powered cargo spaceship. He said all the technical questions concerning the project had been solved apart from finding a solution on how to cool the nuclear reactor.