These two nations join hands up to build a nuclear power plant on the moon; not US, UK, France, India, Japan, they are…

China and Russia have teamed up to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon. The revolutionary project, which is expected to be completed by 2036, will power the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), another major undertaking led by the two allies.

In a major development that could once again trigger a new space race between major world powers, China and Russia have teamed up to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon. According to reports, the revolutionary project, which is expected to be completed by 2036, will power International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), another major undertaking led by the two allies.

The announcement comes at a time when US space agency NASA has called for cancellation of its planned orbital station on the Moon in its 2026 budget proposal, while its Artemis program– which aims to send American astronauts back to the moon after nearly five decades– is facing challenges due to delays and budget cuts.

Sino-Russian lunar nuclear power plant to power ILRS

As per reports, China and Russia recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a permanent human base on the lunar south pole, and build a nuclear power plant that will power the base and the ILRS– a revolutionary project designed for scientific research and long-term unmanned operations, including the possibility of future human presence on the Moon.

Yury Borisov, General Director of Russian space agency Roscosmos, said the nuclear plant will be built “without human presence”, hinting at advanced robots carrying out the construction on the lunar surface. Borisov did not provide any details on the technology required for such an endeavor but said the pre-requisites are “almost ready”.

As per details, the construction of the lunar nuclear plant is scheduled to begin between 2030 and 2035, and expected to completed by 2036. The foundation stone for the ILRS will be laid in 2028 with China’s Chang’e-8 mission, its first manned mission to the Moon.

What is the ILRS mission, and why its a gamechanger?

The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), is an ambitious project jointly led by China and Russia, which aims to establish a permanent human-controlled base on the moon’s south pole for conducting scientific research. First announced by Moscow and Beijing in June 2021, it now includes as a many as 17 other countries, including Pakistan, Egypt, Venezuela, Thailand and South Africa.

The ILRS will be constructed using materials shipped via five super heavy-lift rocket launches from 2030 to 2035, and the station is planned to be expanded by 2050 to include an orbital space station, two nodes on the moon’s equator and its far side.

The ambitious lunar research station will be powered by solar, radioisotope and nuclear generators, and will feature high-speed communication networks on the Moon-Earth and lunar surface, lunar vehicles and manned rovers.

The ILRS aims to provide a major technological footing for humans on the moon for research, long-term unmanned operations, and also aims to serve as a base for manned missions to Mars.

China’s rapidly expanding space program

Notably, China has rapidly developed its space program over the las decade, landing its first lunar rover in the 2013 Chang’e-3 mission. Since then, Beijing has sent several rovers to the moon and Mars, collecting samples from the near and far sides of the moon and mapping the lunar surface.

China’s Chang’e-8 mission aims to land Chinese astronauts on the moon by 2030, as Beijing looks to cement its place as the undisputed global leader in space research and missions, replacing its rival, the United States.