Russia says it plans to deploy a power station on the Moon by 2036 after signing a long-term contract to develop the project.
The country’s space agency said the facility would provide a stable energy supply for lunar rovers, scientific equipment and a China-led international lunar research base expected to operate in the mid-2030s. The agreement covers work over the next decade, including spacecraft development, ground testing, flight trials and the installation of infrastructure on the lunar surface.
The project will involve Russia’s leading deep-space engineering firm, as well as major nuclear science and energy institutions, reflecting a focus on nuclear power as the most practical option for long-term operations on the Moon.
Officials said the initiative marks a move away from isolated lunar missions toward a permanently operating research presence. The power station is intended to support sustained exploration and scientific activity rather than short-term landings.
Russia is working on the project in partnership with China, which plans to establish a permanent lunar research station. Nuclear energy is widely considered essential for such missions because solar power is limited by long lunar nights, dust buildup and extreme temperature changes.
The announcement comes as competition over lunar exploration intensifies, with the United States advancing its own programme to return astronauts to the Moon, build long-term infrastructure near the lunar south pole and establish an orbiting space station to support future missions.
AI must have a massive quantum impact and imput on these ambitions
And nobody can say it won’t happen
Although no men will be going there
So much for “one step for man one giant step for mankind”
Which could never have occurred
https://thelivingmoon.com/