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 Chang’e-8 mission, set to launch in 2028, is a key step in China’s space ambitions. It will help prepare for a permanently staffed lunar base by 2030 and explore how to generate energy on the Moon. Although nuclear power is a strong option, Pei’s presentation also discussed other energy alternatives being evaluated for the station.
Energy is one of the biggest challenges for the ILRS. “An important question for the ILRS is power supply,” said Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program.
“In this Russia has a natural advantage, when it comes to nuclear power plants, especially sending them into space, it leads the world, it is ahead of the United States.”
The ILRS will need a reliable, long-term energy source to survive the extreme conditions on the Moon. Russia’s expertise with space-based nuclear technology plays a big role in the plan.
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