Latest news with #ChineseLunarExplorationProject
Japan Today
23-04-2025
- Science
- Japan Today
China-led lunar base to include nuclear power plant on moon's surface
FILE PHOTO: The moon is seen over the city of Beijing, China, February 20, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo By Eduardo Baptista China is considering building a nuclear plant on the moon to power the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) it is planning with Russia, a presentation by a senior official showed on Wednesday. China is aiming to become a major space power and land astronauts on the moon by 2030, and its Chang'e-8 mission aims to lay the groundwork for the construction of a permanent manned lunar base. In a presentation in Shanghai, the 2028 mission's Chief Engineer Pei Zhaoyu showed that the lunar base's energy supply could also depend on large-scale solar arrays, and pipelines and cables for heating and electricity built on the moon's surface. Russia's space agency Roscosmos announced last year plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon's surface with the China National Space Administration by 2035 in order to power the ILRS. The inclusion of the nuclear power unit in a Chinese space official's presentation to officials from the 17 countries and international organizations that make up the ILRS suggests Beijing supports the idea although it has never formally announced it. China's timeline to build an outpost on the moon's south pole coincides with NASA's more ambitious and advanced Artemis program, which aims to put U.S. astronauts back on the lunar surface in December 2025. Wu Weiren, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project, said last year that a 'basic model' of the ILRS, with the moon's south pole as its core, would be built by 2035. The Chang'e lunar probe launches are part of the construction phase for the 'basic model' outlined by Wu. In the future, China will create the '555 Project', inviting 50 countries, 500 international scientific research institutions, and 5,000 overseas researchers to join the ILRS. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
The Independent
23-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
China plans to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon to fuel lunar base
China is exploring the possibility of constructing a nuclear power plant on the Moon to provide energy for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a joint project with Russia. The plan was revealed in a presentation on Wednesday by Pei Zhaoyu, chief engineer of the Chang'e-8 mission. The Chang'e-8 mission, scheduled for 2028, is a crucial step in China's ambitious space programme, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and establish a permanent staffed lunar base. The mission will lay the groundwork for this base, including exploring energy options. While a lunar nuclear plant is under consideration, Pei Zhaoyu's presentation also outlined alternative power sources. These include large-scale solar arrays deployed on the lunar surface, along with pipelines and cables to distribute heat and electricity across the base. The collaborative effort between China and Russia to establish a lunar nuclear reactor by 2035, as announced by Roscosmos in 2024, underscores the commitment to powering the ILRS and enabling long-term lunar exploration. The inclusion of the nuclear power unit in a Chinese space official's presentation to officials from the 17 countries and international organisations that make up the ILRS suggests Beijing supports the idea although it has never formally announced it. China's timeline to build an outpost on the Moon's south pole coincides with NASA 's more ambitious and advanced Artemis programme, which aims to put U.S. astronauts back on the lunar surface in December 2025. Wu Weiren, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project, said last year that a 'basic model' of the ILRS, with the Moon's south pole as its core, would be built by 2035. The Chang'e lunar probe launches are part of the construction phase for the 'basic model' outlined by Wu. In the future, China will create the '555 Project', inviting 50 countries, 500 international scientific research institutions, and 5,000 overseas researchers to join the ILRS.
Otago Daily Times
23-04-2025
- Science
- Otago Daily Times
China considers building nuclear plant on Moon
China is considering building a nuclear power plant on the Moon. China is considering building a nuclear plant on the Moon to power the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) it is planning with Russia, a presentation by a senior official showed on Wednesday. China is aiming to become a major space power and land astronauts on the Moon by 2030, and its Chang'e-8 mission aims to lay the groundwork for the construction of a permanent manned lunar base. In a presentation in Shanghai, the 2028 mission's Chief Engineer Pei Zhaoyu showed that the lunar base's energy supply could also depend on large-scale solar arrays, and pipelines and cables for heating and electricity built on the Moon's surface. Russia's space agency Roscosmos announced last year plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon's surface with the China National Space Administration by 2035 in order to power the ILRS. The inclusion of the nuclear power unit in a Chinese space official's presentation to officials from the 17 countries and international organisations that make up the ILRS suggests Beijing supports the idea although it has never formally announced it. China's timeline to build an outpost on the Moon's south pole coincides with NASA's more ambitious and advanced Artemis programme, which aims to put US astronauts back on the lunar surface in December 2025. Wu Weiren, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project, said last year that a 'basic model' of the ILRS, with the Moon's south pole as its core, would be built by 2035. The Chang'e lunar probe launches are part of the construction phase for the 'basic model' outlined by Wu. In the future, China will create the '555 Project', inviting 50 countries, 500 international scientific research institutions, and 5000 overseas researchers to join the ILRS.
Malay Mail
23-04-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
China, Russia-led lunar base to feature nuclear power plant on moon's surface, says space official
SHANGHAI, April 23 — Preliminary plans for the China and Russia-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) include building a nuclear reactor on the moon's surface, a presentation by a Chinese space official today showed. The presentation by Pei Zhaoyu, chief engineer for China's 2028 Chang'e-8 mission, showed that the base's energy supply could also depend on large-scale solar arrays, which would be built on the moon's surface. China's Chang'e-8 mission aims to lay the groundwork for the construction of a permanent manned lunar base. The world's second largest economy is aiming to become a major space power and land astronauts on the moon by 2030. China's timeline to build an outpost on the moon's south pole coincides with Nasa's more ambitious and advanced Artemis programme, which aims to put US astronauts back on the lunar surface in December 2025. Wu Weiren, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project, said last year that a 'basic model' of the ILRS, with the South Pole of the Moon as its core, would be built by 2035. The Chang'e lunar probe launches are part of the construction phase for the 'basic model' outlined by Wu. In future, China will create the '555 Project', inviting 50 countries, 500 international scientific research institutions, and 5,000 overseas researchers to join the ILRS. — Reuters
AsiaOne
23-04-2025
- Science
- AsiaOne
China-led lunar base to include nuclear power plant on moon's surface, space official, China News
SHANGHAI - Preliminary plans for the China and Russia-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) include building a nuclear reactor on the moon's surface, a presentation by a Chinese space official on Wednesday (April 23) showed. The presentation by Pei Zhaoyu, chief engineer for China's 2028 Chang'e-8 mission, showed that the base's energy supply could also depend on large-scale solar arrays, which would be built on the moon's surface. China's Chang'e-8 mission aims to lay the groundwork for the construction of a permanent manned lunar base. The world's second largest economy is aiming to become a major space power and land astronauts on the moon by 2030. China's timeline to build an outpost on the moon's south pole coincides with Nasa's more ambitious and advanced Artemis programme, which aims to put US astronauts back on the lunar surface in December 2025. Wu Weiren, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Project, said last year that a "basic model" of the ILRS, with the South Pole of the Moon as its core, would be built by 2035. The Chang'e lunar probe launches are part of the construction phase for the "basic model" outlined by Wu. [[nid:681452]] In future, China will create the "555 Project", inviting 50 countries, 500 international scientific research institutions, and 5,000 overseas researchers to join the ILRS.
