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Russia’s space agency Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) have recently formalized a significant step forward in lunar exploration by signing a memorandum of cooperation to develop an automated nuclear power station on the Moon. This ambitious project aims for completion by 2035 and is planned as a crucial component of the proposed International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a multinational initiative designed to establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface.
The memorandum, signed earlier this month, outlines joint efforts to build the nuclear power facility as part of a broader vision for long-term lunar research and exploration. According to Roscosmos, the station will be instrumental in conducting fundamental space research and testing new technologies that will support the long-term uncrewed operations of the ILRS. The power station will also facilitate future human missions, paving the way for sustained human presence on the Moon.
The ILRS initiative was first announced in 2017 and has since attracted participation from a diverse group of nations, including Venezuela, Belarus, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Egypt, Nicaragua, Thailand, Serbia, Pakistan, Senegal, and Kazakhstan. The research station is expected to be located within 100 kilometers of the Moon’s south pole, a region of interest due to its unique environmental conditions, including areas of near-constant sunlight and access to water ice deposits.
Central to the ILRS’s mission is its ability to maintain long-term autonomous operations with periodic human visits, supporting scientific experiments and resource utilization. The nuclear power station will be critical in ensuring a reliable and continuous energy supply for these operations, enabling researchers to overcome the challenges posed by the Moon’s harsh environment, including long lunar nights that last approximately 14 Earth days.
Roscosmos highlighted the power station’s role in enabling sustained lunar activities: “The station will conduct fundamental space research and test technology for long-term uncrewed operations of the ILRS, with the prospect of a human being’s presence on the Moon.”
In addition to the lunar nuclear power station, Yuri Borisov, head of Roscosmos, revealed plans last year for a nuclear-powered cargo spaceship currently under development. This spacecraft, envisioned as a space tugboat, would leverage nuclear reactors and high-power turbines to transport large cargo between orbits, collect space debris, and support other space operations. Borisov confirmed that technical challenges regarding the project had been largely resolved, except for finding an effective solution to cool the nuclear reactor in the space environment.
“We are indeed working on a space tugboat,” Borisov explained. “This huge, cyclopean structure would be able, thanks to a nuclear reactor and high-power turbines, to transport large cargoes from one orbit to another, collect space debris, and engage in many other applications.”
The collaboration between Russia and China in lunar nuclear power development takes on added significance against the backdrop of recent developments in NASA’s lunar exploration plans. The U.S. space agency revealed a 2026 budget proposal that includes the cancellation of its own planned orbital lunar base, known as Gateway, which was slated for launch in 2027 as part of NASA’s Artemis program. Additionally, the budget proposal may lead to the early termination of the Space Launch System (SLS), a massive rocket developed by Boeing and Northrop Grumman intended to facilitate deep space missions.
The potential scaling back of NASA’s lunar ambitions opens a space for new international partnerships to lead lunar exploration efforts, and the Roscosmos-CNSA partnership on the ILRS and its nuclear power station could play a pivotal role in the evolving lunar exploration landscape.
The joint nuclear power station is poised to become a foundational technology supporting a new era of lunar exploration, enabling longer and more complex missions that will facilitate scientific discovery and possibly even resource extraction. By providing consistent power independent of solar energy, the station will help overcome one of the most significant technical challenges faced in establishing a lunar base: surviving and operating through the extended darkness of the lunar night.
Furthermore, the inclusion of multiple countries in the ILRS framework underscores the growing trend towards international cooperation in space exploration, leveraging shared resources, expertise, and technologies to achieve common goals.
As the world watches, the Russia-China collaboration marks a significant milestone in space exploration, not only demonstrating advancements in nuclear technology applications in space but also reflecting the shifting geopolitical dynamics influencing space policy and exploration strategies.
With the ILRS and the automated nuclear power station slated for operational status by 2035, the coming decade promises substantial progress towards humanity’s return to the Moon and the establishment of a sustainable human presence beyond Earth.
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