China And Russia Plan To Build Nuclear Power Plant On The Moon

China and Russia are planning to construct a nuclear power plant on the Moon to supply energy for a joint lunar research station. The power source is vital for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), which the two nations are developing together.

Speaking at a recent conference, Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration programme, said, “An important question for the ILRS is power supply, and in this Russia has a natural advantage, when it comes to nuclear power plants, especially sending them into space, it leads the world, it is ahead of the United States.”

The ILRS will also use solar arrays and may include surface pipelines and cables to deliver electricity and heating throughout the lunar base.

Chang’e-8 And The 2030 Moon Goal

China has set a target to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030. The Chang’e-8 mission, planned for 2028, will help lay the foundation for a permanent manned base. This mission is part of China’s broader ambition to become a leading space power.

Pei Zhaoyu, chief engineer for the Chang’e-8 mission, presented plans in Shanghai showing that the lunar base’s energy supply could involve large-scale solar arrays, along with pipelines and cables for electricity and heating.

Formal Inclusion Of Nuclear Plans

Though not officially confirmed by Beijing, the inclusion of a nuclear power unit in a Chinese space official’s presentation to ILRS partner nations suggests support for the idea. Last year, Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, announced a plan to work with China to build a nuclear power unit on the Moon’s surface by 2035.

Wu added, “I hope this time both countries can send a nuclear reactor to the moon,” highlighting optimism for real progress in this area after past delays.

ILRS And The Global Space Race

The ILRS project, based at the Moon’s south pole, is set to see a “basic model” completed by 2035. This timing aligns closely with NASA’s Artemis programme, which aims to land American astronauts on the Moon again by December 2025.

China is also preparing the “555 Project,” a global science initiative inviting 50 countries, 500 research institutions, and 5,000 scientists to contribute to the ILRS.

Lunar Resources And Strategic Interests

At the same Shanghai conference, Russian scientists discussed plans to explore the Moon for minerals and water. They also mentioned the potential to use lunar materials for fuel, adding long-term value to their presence on the Moon.

Analysts note that cooperation between China and Russia on space projects has grown stronger since Western sanctions restricted Roscosmos’s access to space technology. Liu Ying, a researcher at the Chinese foreign ministry’s diplomatic academy, wrote that China can now “alleviate the pressure” on Russia and help it “achieve new breakthroughs in satellite launches, lunar exploration, and space stations.”

First reported by Reuters.