Russia and China plan to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon

Russia and China in negotiations A nuclear reactor is planned to be built on the lunar surface between 2033 and 2035. Yuri Borisov, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, told Reuters that the facility could be the first step towards building human settlements on lunar soil.

Borisov, who was Russia’s deputy defense minister from 2008 to 2018, said the two countries’ space agencies were working together on a lunar program and that Moscow could contribute its expertise on “nuclear space energy.”

for Russian manager Nuclear power could be an effective alternative to solar panels According to him, this reactor will not be able to provide enough electricity for future settlements on the Moon, but for now everything “must be done in automatic mode without the presence of humans.”

Partnership between Russian and Chinese space agencies

Partnership between Roscosmos and CNSA started in March 2021, When the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the so-called International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The agreement calls for the sending of several lunar missions, three of which will be sent by China: Chang’e 6, Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8.

According to Forbes, The aim of the collaboration is to develop lunar modules, a jumping robot and new smart mini rovers It has the ability to independently survey the lunar surface.

According to the British publication, Russia also plans to build a nuclear-powered cargo spacecraft.

Russia and China’s plans to explore the Moon

Although Russian officials published ambitious plans to explore our artificial satellite, their space program suffered a serious setback on August 19, 2023. When the Luna-25 probe, Russia’s first lunar mission in almost 50 years, crashed into the lunar surface. China plans to place the first Chinese astronaut on our satellite before 2030.

The joining of two world powers to develop a joint space program could combine Roscosmos’ experience with the technological capacity of the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The two agencies plan to not only send a joint mission but also establish a lunar base.

Partnership received warning from the USA The country claims that Moscow plans to place nuclear weapons in space. Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the US claims, saying they were a ploy to force Russia into an arms deal on Western terms.

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