China and Russia are teaming up to build the world’s first nuclear power station on the Moon by 2035, marking a significant milestone in their space programs and challenging NASA’s Artemis ambitions.
In a move that marks a significant milestone in China‘s space program, Beijing and Moscow have announced plans to build the world’s first nuclear power station on the Moon by 2035. The ambitious project, known as the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), aims to create a permanent lunar base for scientific research and exploration.
The ILRS is seen as a rival to NASA‘s Artemis Program, which plans to build an orbital lunar space station called ‘Gateway’ from 2027. The Gateway will serve as a stepping stone for future human missions to the Moon, while the ILRS will provide a permanent base for long-term lunar exploration and scientific research.
The ILRS project involves over a dozen international partners, including Russia‘s Roscosmos space agency, China‘s CNSA, Pakistan, Venezuela, Belarus, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Egypt, Nicaragua, Thailand, Serbia, Senegal, and Kazakhstan. China plans to invite 50 countries, 500 international scientific research institutions, and 5,000 overseas researchers to join the ILRS as part of its ‘555 Project.’
The ILRS aims to conduct fundamental space research and test technology for long-term uncrewed operations on the Moon. The lunar base will also provide a unique opportunity to utilize the Moon’s natural resources, including metal oxides, regolith, rare Earth metals, and helium-3, ‘a potential fuel for nuclear fusion power’.
The ILRS project marks a significant milestone in China‘s mission to become a leader in space exploration and scientific research. With its advanced technology and strategic partnerships, China is poised to play a major role in shaping the future of lunar exploration. As the world looks up at the Moon, China is taking a bold step towards a new era of space exploration.
