MOSCOW: The Russian government has disclosed plans to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon by the year 2036. The venture, which is quite bold was made possible through the pairing of Russian space sector with different global space agencies.
The project, according to the Russian space agency, will have the participation of the Russian Atomic Energy Company, and the country’s top nuclear research institutes will also be involved. The main aim of the power plant is to provide energy for the lunar programme of Russia, which in turn would support the upcoming missions and research on the Moon.
This announcement positions Russia alongside the United States in the race for the best advanced lunar energy solutions. Only a few months back, NASA stated that by 2030, it would be sending a nuclear reactor to the Moon, which would be one of the steps in its major future endeavors in space exploration.
Russia’s participation is seen as a good development in the space competition, as both powers are planning to establish a functional Moon base within the next few decades.
Why China’s spacecraft return delayed to reach Earth?
On November 21, China has announced that its Shenzhou-20 spacecraft collided with a small piece of space debris floating in orbit, which delayed its return to Earth.
The Chinese space agency has said that the impact of the debris caused very small cracks in the vehicle’s return capsule. According to the initial plan, the three astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie were to return to Earth on November 5, but these astronauts returned to Earth on November 14. Experts say the incident reflects the growing threat of space debris and could pave the way for international initiatives to enhance cooperation in space traffic management and debris monitoring. Finally, the three astronauts returned safely to Earth on November 14 aboard the Shenzhou-21 capsule.
The incident highlights the fact that, as space activities are increasing rapidly, the dangers of space debris also highlight the need for international cooperation.
