The Moon as a new playground for Russia and China?

2024-03-19 17:34:25

The space adventure could soon take a nuclear turn. Russia and China are indeed planning to install a mini-atomic power plant on the Moon within a few years.

Imagine the challenge! Setting up a sustainable human base on the Moon is no easy feat. Beyond the hostile living conditions, the big question is: how to obtain a reliable and continuous energy supply? Solar panels are good, but when night falls for two weeks, it poses a problem. Russia and China may have the solution: a small lunar nuclear power plant.

Atomic energy has already conquered space

Although the idea may be surprising, nuclear energy is not a complete unknown in the space sector. From the beginning of the conquest of space, agencies have used radioisotope thermoelectric generators to power certain probes and rovers. The principle ? Convert the heat released by the natural decay of radioactive elements into electricity.

The pioneers of nuclear fission in space But some have even taken the step of nuclear fission for space. In 1965, NASA tested the reactor SNAP-10A de 600W in orbit for 43 days. The Soviets were not left out with around thirty nuclear military satellites sent from 1970 to 1988, some operating for up to 4 months! Space, a new playground for the atom.

Krusty, the little reactor that goes up, up…

More recently, NASA has returned to the subject as part of the Artemis program. In 2018, engineers developed Krusty, a small 1 kW reactor prototype, capable of being pushed up to 10 kW. A great feat which convinced NASA to continue on this path. A small lunar reactor made in the USA could well see the light of day!

A bright future for nuclear energy?

On the side of Moscow and Beijing, we seem determined to take the plunge between 2033 and 2035 with a real mini nuclear power plant on the moon. Enough to ensure a quality energy supply to their future permanent lunar scientific station. The technical details remain to be resolved but one thing is certain: if we want humans permanently installed on the Moon in the future, theatom could well have a role to play!