Russia has unveiled plans to build a nuclear power station on the surface of the Moon, in partnership with China.
Yury Borisov, director general of Russian space agency Roscosmos said Moscow and Beijing had already begun construction on the project, which he referred to as the International Scientific Lunar Station (ILRS).
The facility would be built in two stages between 2025 and 2035 with a view to having it operational within the next decade, said Borisov, reported state-aligned Russian news agency RIA.
Borisov said development of the plant was underway, with scientists currently working on the development of experimental and research facilities. The facility would initially be unmanned – but with the potential for sending human crews to run it.
Specifically, he underlined the importance of ensuring what he called a “reliable, long-term and long-lasting source of nuclear energy” given lunar nights last 14 Earth days, meaning solar panels on their own are inadequate to keep instruments running.
Boris also TASS Roscosmos was still discussing the Russian Academy of Sciences’ proposal to send two automated Luna-27 missions to the Moon later this year.
He said: “So far, everything goes as I’ve said in December.
“The plans are the same – we are planning to launch the mission.”
Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced their intention to build the ILRS three years ago, at which time they stressed the project would be open to international partners.
However, Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, appears to preclude any Western involvement.
There is no indication, so far at least, that either Russia or China intends the project to serve a military purpose.
Nevertheless, in March, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank warned that a lunar base was a clear indication of what it called China’s “long-term strategic partnership with Russia to posture against and possibly threaten the West”.
In February, US President Joe Biden was urged by domestic politicians to declassify information about “a serious national security threat,” allegedly a nuclear-powered Russian antisatellite weapon. Moscow has denied such a weapon exists.