The Russian state space agency Roscosmos has announced its intention to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon by the end of the decade. This was announcedby the newly appointed head of the agency, Dmitry Bakanov, in an address on the occasion of the Day of Russia, published on the official Roscosmos Telegram channel.
According to Bakanov, the launch of the lunar nuclear power plant will be a key step for the future construction of permanent bases on the Earth’s satellite. “We are creating new grounds for pride and laying the foundation for economic growth and a higher quality of life,” he said.
In addition to the ambitious lunar project, Russia is planning to modernise its satellite infrastructure to improve internet coverage and global navigation, as well as build a new national orbital station to replace the outdated ISS.
Bakanov also recalled the historical experience of the USSR in exploring the planet Venus, saying that Russia plans to resume these missions: “We are the only country that has successfully landed a vehicle on the surface of Venus. And we plan to return there.”
However, the Kremlin’s space ambitions come against a backdrop of recent failures. In particular, in August 2023, the Luna 25 mission crashed during a pre-landing manoeuvre. This was Russia’s first attempt since the Soviet era to re-establish a presence on the Moon, with the previous successful landing taking place in 1976.
Bakanov’s appointment as head of Roscosmos in February 2025, following the dismissal of Yuri Borisov, should be a new starting point for the Russian space programme. As Bakanov himself stated: “We have ambitious goals, and to achieve them we need courage, vision and brilliant engineering.”
