Russia plans to build a nuclear power station on the Moon in the next decade.

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Russia's state space corporation plans to build a nuclear power station on the moon within the next ten years to provide energy for its lunar space program and the joint Chinese-Russian research station.

According to a Reuters report on December 24, the Russian State Space Corporation (Roscosmos) stated in a statement that it plans to complete a lunar nuclear power station before 2036 and has signed a contract with Lavochkin Association to advance the project. Participants include Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom and Russia's top nuclear research institute Kurchatov Institute. The nuclear power station will supply electricity for Russian lunar probes, astronomical observatories, and the basic infrastructure of the China-Russia International Lunar Research Station.

At the same time, the United States is also moving forward with a similar plan. NASA announced in August that it plans to deploy a nuclear reactor on the moon by the first quarter of the 2030 fiscal year. Behind this space nuclear power competition is the scramble among nations for lunar resources. NASA estimates that the moon contains about one million tons of the helium-3 isotope, which is extremely rare on Earth. Boeing research shows the moon is also rich in rare earth metal resources.

Russia Revives Space Ambitions

Russia's move aims to restore its image as a leader in space exploration. Since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space in 1961, Russia long considered itself a space power, but in recent decades has gradually fallen behind.

In August 2023, Russia's unmanned Luna-25 probe crashed while attempting to land, posing a major setback for its lunar exploration program. Meanwhile, SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, has achieved revolutionary transformations in space launches—a traditional technological advantage for Russia.

Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov stated in June this year that the agency’s goals include building a nuclear power station on the moon and exploring Venus, known as Earth's "sister planet."

Nuclear Power Station Technical Details

Roscosmos emphasized in the statement that this energy construction project is "a key step in establishing a permanent lunar research station, marking a transformation from single mission mode to systematic, long-term lunar exploration."

Once built, the station will supply electricity for various facilities in Russia's lunar exploration program, including lunar rovers, observation equipment, and the infrastructure of the China-Russia International Lunar Research Station. Although the statement did not directly use the term "nuclear power station," the involvement of Rosatom and top nuclear research institutes clearly indicates its nuclear nature.

Notably, international law explicitly prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, but does not restrict the use of nuclear energy in space within the bounds of safety standards.

Battle for Lunar Resources

Analysts predict that the moon will see a "resource development boom." In addition to NASA’s estimated million tons of helium-3 reserves, the moon is also rich in rare earth metals such as scandium, yttrium, and 15 kinds of lanthanides, which are crucial for smartphones, computers, and high-tech industries.

US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy pointed out that energy supply is a core prerequisite for operating lunar bases and achieving manned missions to Mars. As Earth’s natural satellite, located about 384,000 km away, the moon not only helps stabilize Earth's climate by regulating the axis wobble but also, through its gravitational effects, directly shapes global ocean tides.

This international competition for lunar nuclear power construction highlights the struggle for control over strategic space resources among nations, and will accelerate the integration of aerospace and advanced nuclear technologies.

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