Russia aims to field a lunar nuclear power plant by 2036 to support a joint Russian‑Chinese research base amid US competition.
Moscow — Russia plans to deploy a lunar power plant by 2036 to supply its lunar programme and a joint Russian–Chinese International Lunar Research Station. Roscosmos has contracted the Lavochkin Association and named participants including state nuclear corporation Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute, suggesting a nuclear reactor despite Roscosmos not stating the fuel source explicitly. The installation is intended to power rovers, an observatory and base infrastructure, enabling continuous operations and a shift from one‑off missions to sustained lunar presence. The announcement follows the Luna‑25 lander failure and comes as the United States and China accelerate lunar initiatives; NASA plans a small fission reactor demonstration by early FY2030. International rules bar nuclear weapons in space but allow nuclear power systems that meet safety and regulatory conditions. Planners cite reliable energy as essential for life support, scientific facilities and logistics for deeper space goals. Interest in lunar resources adds urgency: estimates point to abundant helium‑3 and concentrations of rare‑earth elements such as scandium, yttrium and the lanthanides, which could support future scientific and commercial activity.