China-Russia will build nuclear reactor for lunar base

Meanwhile, the United States is working on a return to the Moon through NASA's Artemis program

China is considering building a nuclear power plant on the Moon to supply energy to the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a project it is developing with Russia. The plan was revealed by Pei Zhaoyu, chief engineer of the Chang’e-8 mission, during a presentation on Wednesday.

The lunar base's energy supply could also rely on large-scale solar panels as well as pipes and cables built on the lunar surface for heating and power, said Pei Zhaoyu.

Last year, Roscosmos said it plans to build a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface by 2035, in cooperation with the China National Space Administration (CNSA), to power the ILRS.

A Chinese space official mentioned the nuclear power plant in a speech during a meeting with officials from 17 countries and international organizations, indicating that China supports the idea, although it was never officially announced.

"An important issue facing the ILRS is energy supply, and in this regard, Russia has a natural advantage, and when it comes to nuclear power plants, particularly in terms of sending them into space, it is a world leader and a leader of the United States," Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration program, told Reuters on the sidelines of the conference.

He said that after previous space reactor negotiations made little progress, "I hope that this time both countries can send a nuclear reactor to the Moon." China's program to establish an outpost at the lunar south pole coincides with NASA's more ambitious and advanced Artemis program, which aims to return U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface in December 2025.

Last year, Wu Weiren said that the ILRS "basic model" focusing on the lunar south pole will be completed by 2035. In the future, China will create "Project 555" and invite 50 countries, 500 international scientific research institutes and 5,000 foreign researchers to join the institute. Researchers from the Russian Federal Space Agency also spoke at the Shanghai conference, sharing details of plans to search for mineral and water resources, including the possible use of lunar material as fuel.

Liu Ying, a researcher at the Institute of Diplomacy in China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote in a newspaper article that due to China's rapid technological advances and lunar successes, and Western sanctions preventing Roscosmos from importing many space technologies and equipment, China could now "reduce the pressure on Russia" and help Russia "achieve new breakthroughs in satellite launches, lunar exploration and space stations."

NASA’s Artemis program sparks competition

While China and Russia push ahead with the ILRS, the U.S. is working on its return to the Moon through NASA’s Artemis program. America, the only country to have landed astronauts on the Moon, hasn’t returned since the final Apollo mission 1972. Now, NASA aims to land two astronauts on the lunar surface again in 2027, then construct a sustainable moon base.

NASA’s power plans for its base include deploying large solar arrays on the lunar surface. The energy will then be distributed across the base using an extensive network of pipelines and cables. Despite its lunar experience, the U.S. is also exploring nuclear power for the Moon amid a global race for energy independence in space.

China’s schedule for building its moon base around the lunar south pole matches NASA’s timeline. Wu Weiren stated last year that a “basic model” of the ILRS, centered on the Moon’s south pole, would be completed by 2035.

Chang’e-8 and its related missions are part of this roadmap. In addition, China plans to launch the “555 Project,” an initiative to invite 50 countries, 500 international scientific institutions, and 5,000 overseas researchers to participate in the ILRS project.

A new era of space resources and nuclear innovation

China’s space program has developed rapidly over the past 20 years. After becoming only the third country to launch a human into space in 2003 with the Shenzhou 5 mission, China landed its Chang’e 3 robotic rover on the Moon a decade later. It also became the second nation to land a Mars rover and aims to send humans to Mars by 2033.

If China successfully builds a nuclear power plant on the Moon, it could change the future of space exploration. It would open possibilities for large-scale space operations, including energy generation and cargo transport.

The Moon’s natural resources are another major reason for the race to establish a foothold there. According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the Moon has valuable metal oxides, silicon, titanium, rare Earth metals, and aluminum deposits. Even more exciting is helium-3, a rare isotope that could, according to Chinese scientist Ouyang Ziyuan, “solve humanity’s energy demand for around 10,000 years.”