China Signs Deal With Russia To Build A Power Plant On The Moon

China and Russia have made a bold step in the new space race after signing a deal to build a nuclear power plant on the moon—a move that may redefine lunar exploration and energy infrastructure. The plant will supply energy to the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a China-Russia project scheduled for completion in 2036, under a new memorandum of cooperation.

The reactor, to be constructed with minimal human involvement, will enable long-term robotic and, ultimately, crewed missions to the lunar base. Roscosmos chief Yury Borisov stated in an interview in 2024 that the bulk of the technology needed for autonomous construction is already in place. The ILRS is scheduled to be built at the south pole of the Moon and will be a permanent research center funded by 17 countries, including Egypt, Pakistan, and South Africa.

China’s Chang’e-8 mission in 2028 will start the building of the ILRS, and five super-heavy rocket launches from 2030 to 2035 will join the base. The facility will be expanded throughout time to encompass a space station in lunar orbit and nodes on the Moon’s far side and equator. The ILRS will be driven by solar, radioisotope, and nuclear systems and will provide advanced communications and a fleet of robotic and manned lunar vehicles.

This partnership comes at a time when NASA experiences setbacks. The 2026 U.S. budget proposal threatens to scrap NASA’s Gateway lunar space station, and the Artemis III crewed Moon landing is now scheduled for 2027. With China rapidly expanding and with the ILRS targeting full operational capacity by 2050, the U.S. risks losing its dominance in lunar exploration—a change that could change the face of global space leadership in decades to come.