Russia has revealed plans that are nothing short of lunar power station construction by 2036, which will be a major milestone in the company’s exploration of the Moon in the long run. Russian space authorities made the announcement on Wednesday, underlining the country’s determination to settle down on the Moon for good.
As per a declaration from Roscosmos, the Russian state space corporation, a public contract was executed in December 2025 with the Lavochkin Association, a top Russian aerospace firm, to work on the project for the next ten years. This venture is part of the country’s transition from one-time lunar missions to an ongoing scientific exploration strategy on the Moon.
Objectives and Scope of the Lunar Power Station
The proposed lunar power station will provide a long-term energy supply for various Russian lunar programs. These include:
- Robotic lunar exploration and automated roaming machines.
- Lunar observatories for research purposes.
- International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) infrastructure including the facilities of the partner countries involved.
The lunar station will provide uninterrupted power to the scientific instruments, rovers, and living or operational modules that might be placed on the moon’s surface, thus enabling longer lunar missions.
Project Phases and Development
Roscosmos stated that the project encompasses multiple stages, including:
- Spacecraft development – devising and producing machines that can carry energy systems along with the necessary infrastructure to the Moon.
- Ground testing – checking systems and tools on Earth to be sure of their dependability in the very difficult lunar environment.
- Flight tests – implementing the preliminary missions and tests in outer space before the ultimate deployment.
- On-moon deployment – making and turning on the power plant on the surface of the Moon.
The primary objective of the project is to establish a lunar scientific station that will operate continuously and support permanent research, rather than depending on sectoral missions. The officials emphasize that this is a major gain for Russia in terms of undivided scientific exploration and technological independence on the Moon.
Strategic Significance
The lunar energy power station has been put forward by Roscosmos as a crucial milestone for Russia’s space exploration in the long run through the current robotic missions to the moon, the eventual manned missions, and the cooperation of different countries. The station will provide both Russian and foreign scientists with the possibility of conducting experiments as well as supporting the whole moon colonization project in the following hundreds of years already at the initial stage.
