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Published by Derimot.no, 27 December 2025
Russia plans to establish a power station on the Moon within the next decade. The space agency Roscosmos says it has signed a contract with NPO Lavochkin for work until 2036, and that both Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute will contribute.
Roscosmos wants the facility ready by 2036 and is linking the project to the China-led ILRS lunar base.
Roscosmos says the purpose is to ensure a long-term energy supply for lunar rovers and an observatory, while also supporting the China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
NPO Lavochkin is described as Russia’s leading developer of deep space and planetary missions, and plays a central role in Russia’s current lunar program. Roscosmos says state corporation Rosatom and the Kurchatov Institute will also participate in the project.
Over the next ten years, Roscosmos plans to develop spacecraft, conduct ground tests, conduct flight tests, and build infrastructure on the Moon. The agency describes the project as a step toward a permanently operating scientific lunar station, and as a transition from single missions to a long-term lunar program.
The power station is part of a joint Russian-Chinese lunar project. During a visit to Moscow in May, Russia and China signed an agreement to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon to supply China’s planned permanent research base, which is scheduled to be operational in the mid-2030s.
Nuclear power is considered by many space actors to be the most realistic solution for stable, long-term electricity production on the Moon, where solar cells may be less effective due to long periods of darkness, dust, and large temperature variations.
The announcement comes as the race for the Moon intensifies. The United States has launched the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon, establish a permanent presence near the South Pole, and build the Lunar Gateway space station in orbit around the Moon.
https://www.rt.com/news/629954-roscosmos-moon-power-station
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