Rosatom is studying five variants of the lunar nuclear power plant

Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Rosatom, said that five variants of the device are being studied for a lunar nuclear power plant with a capacity of up to 10 kW. One of them can be chosen in 2027. From the mid-2030s, the power plant should supply energy to the international lunar station.

Projects differ in the way electricity is generated. In one case, it is proposed to use a turbine for this, in the other – to obtain electricity directly from nuclear energy. “And we must next year choose the appearance and launch this work,” said Alexei Likhachev.

Federal nuclear centers in Sarov and Snezhinsk are connecting to the creation of a megawatt-class engine, which should work in the 2030s. It's being developed for a space tractor. According to the head of Rosatom Alexei Likhachev, the tractor can be useful in deep space flights or when lifting large loads.

The head of the state corporation drew a parallel with the 1940-1950s, when work on the creation of nuclear weapons served as an impetus for the development of nuclear energy. According to him, the achievements of the nuclear weapons complex will be in demand in promising space projects.

Likhachev believes that the industrial development of the moon and near-Earth space will require powerful energy sources that can operate autonomously and take up little space. The same sources are needed for long-distance flights in the solar system. The head of the state corporation referred to them nuclear power plants. The search for energy sources for these tasks is conducted at the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute and Rosatom.