Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Russia and China have announced a joint endeavour to establish a lunar nuclear power plant, representing a significant collaboration in modern-age lunar exploration.
Yuri Borisov, head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, has revealed the ambitious plan for a collaborative effort between Russia and China to construct a lunar nuclear power plant. The plant is expected to be established by 2035.
Borisov underscored Russia's invaluable expertise in nuclear space energy, signalling a pivotal advancement towards sustainable habitation on the moon.
The initiative aims to overcome the limitations of solar panels, which Borisov has pointed out are insufficient to meet the electricity demands of prospective lunar settlements.
Borisov has stressed the significance of automating the deployment process to minimize human presence during the initial stages of establishing the lunar nuclear power plant.
Borisov has elaborated on Russia's vision for space innovation, discussing the development of a nuclear-powered cargo spaceship, referred to as a "space tugboat," designed to transport sizable cargoes between orbits.
While significant progress has been made, cooling the nuclear reactor remains a notable technical hurdle yet to be resolved.
Russia's lunar aspirations have faced setbacks, notably with the failure of its first moon mission in 47 years, highlighting the challenges inherent in lunar exploration.
Despite setbacks, Russia and China persist in their pursuit of lunar exploration, navigating a competitive yet collaborative landscape in the race towards lunar colonization.