Russia and China set sights on lunar nuclear power station by 2035

Russia and China have formally agreed to collaborate on building an automated nuclear power station on the Moon, aiming for completion by 2035.

The agreement was signed by Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) earlier this month, marking a significant milestone in their joint lunar ambitions.

The nuclear station will be a key component of the proposed International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), which is designed to support both uncrewed scientific operations and, potentially, future human missions. “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,” Roscosmos announced on May 8, following the signing of the memorandum.

The ILRS, first unveiled in 2017, is an international initiative involving countries such as Venezuela, Belarus, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Egypt, Nicaragua, Thailand, Serbia, Pakistan, Senegal, and Kazakhstan. Planned for construction near the lunar south pole—within a 100-kilometre radius—the base is intended to enable sustained autonomous operations alongside occasional crewed missions.

In addition to the lunar reactor, Roscosmos head Yuri Borisov previously revealed work is underway on a nuclear-powered space cargo ship. According to Borisov, all major technical hurdles have been addressed, except for one: cooling the reactor. “We are indeed working on a space tugboat. This huge, cyclopean structure that 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,” he explained.

This Russian-Chinese initiative comes at a time of uncertainty for U.S. lunar exploration plans. NASA recently proposed a 2026 budget that would eliminate funding for its Gateway orbital lunar station, originally scheduled for launch in 2027. Additionally, the Space Launch System (SLS)—a massive rocket developed by Boeing and Northrop Grumman for the Artemis program—faces potential cancellation following its third mission, due to escalating costs.