Plans are underway for a collaboration between Russia and China to deliver nuclear power plants to the moon in the 2030s. The announcement was made by Yuri Borisov, the head of Roscosmos, during the Marathon “Knowledge. The first.”
According to Borisov, a project is being considered to deliver and install an energy plant on the lunar surface from 2033 to 2035 in partnership with Chinese colleagues. The technological challenges for creating such an installation are close to being resolved, with plans for the delivery of power plants to be carried out automatically using robotics.
This joint initiative is part of the Russian-Chinese cooperation in establishing an international scientific lunar station. A government-approved agreement signed in November 2023 outlines plans not only for constructing the station, but also for conducting collaborative research on the moon.
Initial Russian and Chinese lunar missions will focus on studying the natural satellite, selecting a suitable location for the station, and testing technologies for safe soft landings on the lunar surface. The Luna-Glob landing device will be utilized by Russia for this purpose.
The subsequent stages of the project include setting up a station management center, delivering large-sized cargoes to the moon, deploying orbital modules for power, communications, and transport services, and evolving the functionality of station modules with the goal of eventually landing a human on the moon with the help of international partners.
Roscosmos had previously announced the signing of a development program with the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) for cooperation in space activities from 2023 to 2027, including plans for the mutual placement of GLONASS and Beidou ground stations in both countries.
Furthermore, in April 2023, Roscosmos mentioned intentions to utilize the Nuclear Tuggage of Zeus for the “Luna Expansion” effort, with targets set for implementation by 2030.