Fourteen and a half days of total darkness: this is what astronauts have to face during the lunar night. Solar panels? Useless. Batteries? They drain quickly. But China and Russia have come up with a bold solution: bringing lunar nuclear power directly to the surface of our satellite.
The project of the International Lunar Research Station It involves a reactor built entirely by a small group of robot workers, without any human presence. It's not the script of the next James Bond: it's all true.
An agreement that changes the rules of the space game
China and Russia have signed an official memorandum to build an automated nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2035, intended to power the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Yuri Borisov, Director General of Roscosmos, confirmed two weeks ago that the project is “almost solved” from a technical point of view, with the only exception of the cooling system (I wouldn't say that's a small thing).
As we have highlighted in this article, this collaboration represents a direct response to the program Fission Surface Power of NASA, but with one substantial difference: while the Americans are still talking about prototypes, Moscow and Beijing have already set concrete dates.
The Technology Behind Lunar Nuclear
The reactor, as mentioned, will be installed through fully robotic systems, without any direct human intervention on the lunar surface. The construction will occur between 2033 and 2035, with a system designed to operate autonomously for at least ten years.
The choice of lunar nuclear It's not a coincidence: during the lunar night current storage technologies are not sufficient to guarantee continuous energy for such long periods, making atomic energy the only viable solution for a permanent human presence.
Lunar Nuclear, the International Alliance That Worries Washington (and Not Only)
There are 17 countries that have already joined the ILRS project, including Egypt, Pakistan, Venezuela, Thailand e South Africa. This international consensus represents a direct challenge to American hegemony in space, especially considering that NASA has recently postponed the return to the moon the 2027.
Wu Weiren, the chief designer of the Chinese lunar mission, accused the United States of "interfering with Beijing's attempts to cooperate with Europe and other foreign partners". A statement that reveals the geopolitical tensions behind this race for lunar nuclear power. On the other hand, we have said it several times: it is the new (hopefully) cold war, baby.
When the Moon Becomes an Energy Battlefield
The Russian-Chinese project also includes the development of nuclear-powered “space tugs,” huge structures capable of transporting cargo between orbits and collecting space debris. Borisov called them “cyclopean structures” equipped with nuclear reactors and high-power turbines.
If NASA continues to develop its Fission Surface Power program With 40-kilowatt reactors, the Sino-Russian project aims higher, with systems designed to power entire permanent lunar bases.
We will see if the declarations will be followed by concrete facts, but in the meantime the challenge has been launched: the Moon is becoming the new theater of global competition, where lunar nuclear power represents the key to the control of our satellite. And this time, it seems that the West is watching as a spectator a game that others are already playing.
