Latest news with #ILRS
India Today
3 days ago
- Science
- India Today
China tests Dream Vessel that will take its astronauts to the Moon
China has recently taken a significant step forward in its ambitious lunar exploration program by successfully testing its manned lunar capsule, Mengzhou, and conducting a critical landing and takeoff test of its lunar lander named is accelerating efforts to land astronauts on the Moon and establish a sustainable presence Mengzhou spacecraft, sometimes called the "Dream Vessel," is a next-generation reusable crewed spacecraft developed independently by China. It completed a crucial zero-altitude escape test earlier this year, demonstrating its integrated escape and rescue functions designed to safeguard astronauts during emergencies at This spacecraft is modular and capable of carrying up to seven astronauts, with variants configured for near-Earth operations and deep-space missions such as lunar expeditions. The success of the escape test lays a strong technical foundation for China's manned lunar missions planned for the coming a landmark test conducted in Hebei province, north China, the Lanyue lunar lander underwent comprehensive trials that simulated lunar surface conditions, including terrain features like rocks and craters and lunar soil test, the first of its kind for an extraterrestrial landing and takeoff by a Chinese manned spacecraft, validated the lander's ability to safely touch down and ascend from the Moon's meaning "Embrace the Moon," is designed not only to ferry astronauts between lunar orbit and the surface but also to serve as a habitat, power station, and command hub during their stay. It has features including a lunar rover and life support systems, making it central to future lunar surface lunar ambitions extend beyond individual missions. Plans are underway to build a "basic model" of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) by around 2035 near the Moon's south base, a joint effort with Russia and potentially other international partners, aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, powered by a combination of solar arrays and a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface. The ILRS will support scientific research and serve as a stepping stone for deeper space exploration, including crewed Mars the successful tests of Mengzhou and Lanyue mark major milestones in China's lunar exploration strategy, aiming to achieve a manned landing before 2030 and construct a lunar base that could become a hub of international scientific cooperation and long-term space habitation. - EndsMust Watch
The Sun
6 days ago
- Science
- The Sun
US unveils wild plan to build nuke reactor on the MOON by 2030 in direct challenge to Russia and China in new space race
THE US has unveiled plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon as it seeks to get ahead of China and Russia in the new-age space race. The aim is to mark American territory on the lunar surface by creating a power hub that could supply energy for future missions. 5 5 5 5 Nasa chief Sean Duffy is set to announce plans to build the reactor by 2030. It comes just weeks after Russia inked a deal with China to build a nuclear power station on the moon as part of their shared lunar space base. The Ru ssian reactor will be used to power the sprawling International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), which is being jointly led with China, according to a new agreement signed by the two nations. A directive from Nasa says that such an American nuclear reactor on the moon will establish US 'keep-out' zones on the lunar surface. This is to further stop rivals like Moscow and Beijing from effectively colonising the Moon. It reads: "The first country to do so could potentially declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States from establishing a planned Artemis presence if not the first. "[Nasa needs to] move quickly to support a future lunar economy [and] strengthen our national security in space." In 2022, Nasa launched a mission known as the Fission Surface Power Project, hoping to establish a source that could provide abundant and continuous power on the moon regardless of environmental conditions. The project is deemed crucial for supporting long-term human settlements on the lunar surface. It could also enable the exploration of deeper space destinations in the future. Watch China's bizarre new plans for lunar base race with egg habitation domes that can resist moonquakes The reactor is expected to generate light and power during the lunar nights when there is no sunshine on the surface, making solar panels ineffective. One lunar night is the equivalent of 14 nights on Earth. And it could also help light up the permanently shadowed parts of the moon to make further space explorations. Inside a nuclear reactor, atoms of certain elements - like uranium-235 - are split when struck by neutrons. This splitting releases energy in the form of heat and additional neutrons. The released neutrons can then strike other atoms, continuing the chain reaction. Reactors are designed to control this chain reaction, preventing it from becoming uncontrolled. A Nasa official told The Telegraph: 'If we are going to have a habitable system on the Moon then we have to bring power.' He said small reactors were already in use on submarines and aircraft carriers. 'They solve the problem,' he added. During the pilot project, Nasa specified that the reactor should stay under six metric tons and be able to produce 40-kilowatt of electrical power. But Mr Duffy has now directed the space agency to seek industry proposals for a minimum 100-kilowatt reactor to launch by 2030. Former Nasa boss Bill Nelson was outspoken about his fears for a sole Chinese presence on the Moon - which are unlikely to soften with Russia's added involvement. China's military presence in the South China Sea signals how the country might behave on the lunar surface, Nelson claimed, which would breach the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. China's military presence in the South China Sea signals how the country might behave on the lunar surface, Nelson claimed, which would breach the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. Race to the lunar south pole By Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter THE far side of the moon, dubbed the 'dark side', has now become the focal point of numerous space exploration programs. India, Russia, China and the US have all been engaged in space developments to study the far point of the moon. It is deemed to be not only a compelling place for future space explorations but also a suitable site for lunar outposts. Scientists believe it could be the most promising location for water-based ice, which will be key to future human habitation on the Moon. It is also one of the moon's most resource-dense areas. The permanently shadowed places on the Moon could contain ice and other minerals, which would be vital resources for future explorers. Scientists reckon there is an abundance of Helium-3 in so-called 'cold traps' littered across the south pole, which can help produce huge amounts of energy here on Earth. The mountain peaks near the pole - which are illuminated for longer periods - could be used to provide solar energy to an outpost. With an outpost on the Moon, scientists will be able to analyse water and other volatile samples dating to the formation of the Solar System. For China, the landing of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe is an important milestone that the country will leverage to expand its space presence on the far side of the moon. It will use the data collected by the space lander to allow Chinese astronauts to set foot on the moon by 2030. "We better watch out that they don't get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research," Nelson told Politico in a 2023 interview. "And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, 'Keep out, we're here, this is our territory.'' China has agreed to share the ILRS with 17 countries, including Egypt, Venezuela, South Africa, Pakistan, Thailand and Azerbaijan. Beijing has been firm that its intentions for ILRS are to collect samples and carry out 'scientific exploration", despite Nasa's suspicions. ILRS will be a permanent, manned lunar base on the Moon's south pole. Slated to be bigger than Disneyland, with a radius of 3.7miles, it is intended to host a command centre, a communication hub, and scientific facilities, alongside a power station. The groundwork will be laid by China's 2028 Chang'e-8 mission, which will be the country's first time landing an astronaut on the Moon. CHINA'S THREATENING SPACE AMBITIONS Under dictator Xi's leadership, China has been brewing ambitious plans to become the leader of the global space rush. The country spent roughly £11.2billion on its space programme in 2023, according to Statista. While China was late to the first round of the space race, Beijing is investing heavily in becoming the second nation to put humans on the Moon by 2030. The Chinese-owned Tiangong space station was completed in late 2022, and has been permanently manned since then. China has doubled the number of satellites it has in orbit since 2019, according to the US Defence Intelligence Agency. Experts also fear that China's monster network of tracking satellites could snoop on Western military operations. Washington and Beijing currently have the most developed plans for securing separate permanent bases on the Moon, out of any other country in the world. And fears are China, if it succeeds in making a giant leap ahead of the US, could threaten aggression in space. A series of non-binding bilateral agreements called the Artemis Accords have been signed between the US and other nations to assure peace in space and on other planets. However, China has stayed out of the agreement, indicating a potential threat from the communist country. 5
The Diplomat
02-07-2025
- Science
- The Diplomat
China's Steady Ascent to the Moon: How Beijing Is Rewriting Lunar Geopolitics
When the Chang'e 6 return capsule touched down in the dusty plains of Inner Mongolia in June 2024, it carried something no nation had ever retrieved: the first samples from the far side of the Moon. For China's space agency, this wasn't just a scientific achievement; it was a message. It marked a pivotal shift, signaling that China's lunar ambitions had evolved from symbolic flag planting to a systematic push for permanent space infrastructure. Chang'e 6 was not a one off headline grabber, but rather part of a rapidly advancing sequence. Chang'e 7, scheduled for 2026, will scout the Moon's South Pole, an area of strategic interest due to potential water deposits. Chang'e 8, launching in 2028, aims to test technologies for using local lunar resources. And by 2035, Beijing plans to begin constructing a permanent International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), possibly powered through the freezing two-week lunar nights by a small nuclear reactor. Meanwhile, officials say China remains 'on track' to land its first astronauts on the Moon by 2030. This spring's successful trials of the country's new two-part crewed spacecraft (Mengzhou and its lander, Lanyue) reinforced that timeline. And with the launch of Tianwen 2 in May, a mission to return samples from both an asteroid and a comet, China has made its intentions unmistakably clear. In space, China is not merely catching up anymore, but rather it is starting to lead. Why the Moon, and Why Now? China's accelerated push toward the Moon is not simply a scientific endeavor. It is guided by a strategic calculus shaped by the interlocking imperatives of accessing resources, having technological leverage, and establishing a long term political control. First, the Lunar South Pole contains permanently shadowed craters believed to hold substantial reserves of water ice. For any country seeking a lasting presence on the Moon, that ice is of tremendous importance, as it can be converted into fuel, life support, and even infrastructure. Securing access to these polar deposits offer not only practical advantage but also immense geopolitical symbolism. In space, as on Earth, control of critical resources translates into influence. China's lunar missions are not developing in isolation. Key technologies – such as the heavy lift Long March-10 rocket, high thrust propulsion systems, and robust cislunar communication networks – have direct military relevance. While Chinese officials maintain that the lunar program is peaceful, defense analysts see clear convergence with the People's Liberation Army's growing interest in space as a strategic domain. These dual use dividends are too significant to ignore. Building a Coalition on Beijing's Terms There is a clear geopolitical dynamic at play as China's space program advances. While the United States advertises its 55-member Artemis Accords as proof of international momentum, Beijing is quietly building a rival coalition. Thirteen countries have signed onto China's ILRS agreement so far, including Russia, Pakistan, Belarus, and South Africa. To expand its influence, China has rolled out an ambitious '5-5-5' campaign, under which it aims to add a total of 50 nations, 500 institutions, and 5,000 researchers to engage in lunar science by the early 2030s. This division is stark and deliberate. With the exception of Thailand, not a single Artemis country has joined the ILRS, and none of China's partners has signed the Artemis Accords. Beijing is making its offer hard to refuse, as it offers low interest loans for ground stations, tech transfer guarantees, and slots for smaller payloads on Chinese missions. The result is a familiar dynamic, a quiet struggle for influence, echoing the divides seen in the race for 5G or the Belt and Road Initiative. How the United States Is Reacting Inside NASA, China's growing momentum is seen less as an external threat and more as a rallying cry. Administrators from both Republican and Democratic administrations have repeatedly cast the Artemis program as essential to winning the new space race with China, as recently stated by Administrator Bill Nelson. It is a message that resonates on Capitol Hill, where bipartisan support has helped secure funding for core elements like the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion, even as deadlines slip. Few lawmakers want to be seen as soft on China, especially when space dominance is framed as a matter of national prestige and security. External rivals can unify an otherwise polarized Congress, and Artemis has proven no exception. The Biden administration quietly adopted all of the program's core goals from its predecessor, shifting the first crewed lunar landing from 2024 to 2027 or later, but keeping China at the center of its justification. Still, the U.S. political system remains a structural weakness in this long term competition. Artemis has already suffered multiple delays, and a December 2023 audit put the odds of a 2028 landing at just 70 percent. Additionally, the White House fiscal year 2026 budget proposal for NASA included a 25 percent reduction in NASA's funding and plans to phase out the SLS and Orion spacecraft after Artemis III. This raises significant concerns about the viability of the current lunar return strategy. China, by contrast, can redirect funding or extend timelines without public debate or political backlash, potentially giving it an advantage in the lunar exploration race. Unlike democratic systems where space funding often fluctuates with political shifts, Beijing can sustain multidecade programs with centralized coordination. At a deeper level, the two programs reflect diverging philosophies. The United States leans on the private sector (outsourcing key components to firms like SpaceX and Blue Origin) in hopes of gaining speed and reducing costs. Whether that gamble pays off remains one of the defining questions in this unfolding lunar rivalry. Implications for the Indo-Pacific The prospect of rival, partially overlapping communication and navigation networks in cislunar space is causing concern among Asian defense planners. A radio quiet zone on the Moon's far side (prized by astronomers for its shielded environment) could easily conceal surveillance infrastructure. Meanwhile, proposals for lunar 'gas stations' to refuel spacecraft raise uncomfortable legal questions about territorial control in a domain still governed by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, drafted long before GPS or commercial satellites ever existed. Japan and India, both signatories to the Artemis Accords, have expressed public support for U.S. leadership. But behind the scenes, Japan's SLIM precision lander and India's upcoming Chandrayaam 4 sample return mission may position them to share data or cooperate with both blocs, keeping diplomatic options open. For smaller Southeast Asian countries, the calculus feels familiar, much like debates over maritime codes of conduct. The goal is to avoid choosing sides outright while maximizing technology transfer and strategic flexibility both from Washington and Beijing. To many ASEAN capitals, lunar engineering might still seem like science fiction. But the stakes are very real. Whichever bloc secures early access to polar ice on the Moon could gain a commanding position in the emerging cislunar economy, powering Earth Moon cargo transport and satellite relays. The intellectual property, industrial standards, and logistics infrastructure built in space won't stay in space. They will shape value chains back on Earth, from robotics to additive manufacturing. Australia's nascent Moon to Mars supply chain initiatives, South Korea's KPLO orbiter study and Singapore's interest in cislunar cybersecurity all suggest the region understands what is at stake. Participation choices will increasingly interconnect with terrestrial trade and security partnerships. A Contest of Rule Making, Not Just Rockets Framing today's lunar competition as a 'new Cold War' misses the point. China and the United States are not simply racing to plant flags; they are maneuvering to shape the rules of the game. Technological standards, legal norms, and commercial protocols established now will define who sets the pace in space for decades to come. Beijing's centrally planned path toward its ILRS promises long-term stability, but offers little in the way of transparency. Washington's Artemis program, by contrast, is built around a decentralized, commercial led coalition, bringing openness and broad participation, but also slower timelines and political volatility. For policymakers across the Indo-Pacific, the challenge is to engage without becoming dependent. That means pushing for interoperable standards, avoiding exclusivity in launch or communications deals, and investing in domestic lunar science capabilities to remain credible at the negotiating table. The Moon is no longer just a silent presence in the night sky. It is quickly becoming the region's newest strategic frontier.
NDTV
17-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Russia, China Sign Agreement To Build Nuclear Power Station On Moon
China and Russia have signed a memorandum of cooperation to build an automated nuclear power station on the Moon by 2035. Russia's space agency Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) signed the document earlier this month, with the power station expected to be part of the proposed International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). "The station will conduct fundamental space research and test technology for long-term uncrewed operations of the ILRS, with the prospect of a human being's presence on the Moon," Roscosmos wrote in a May 8 announcement following the signing of the memorandum. First announced in 2017, ILRS includes involvement from countries such as Venezuela, Belarus, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Egypt, Nicaragua, Thailand, Serbia, Pakistan, Senegal and Kazakhstan. The IRLS is expected to be located within 100 kilometres of the lunar south pole and feature long-term autonomous operations and short-term human missions. "The station will conduct fundamental space research and test technology for long-term uncrewed operations of the ILRS, with the prospect of a human being's presence on the Moon," Roscosmos said in a statement. Yuri Borisov, the head of Roscosmos, last year stated that apart from the Chinese-Russian reactor, a nuclear-powered cargo spaceship was also under development. He said all the technical questions concerning the project had been solved, apart from finding a solution on how to cool the nuclear reactor. "We are indeed working on a space tugboat. This huge, cyclopean structure that would be able, thanks to a nuclear reactor and a high-power transport large cargoes from one orbit to another, collect space debris and engage in many other applications," Mr Borisov said. The announcement comes in the backdrop of NASA revealing a 2026 budget proposal that would axe the agency's plans for an orbital lunar base, dubbed Gateway and slated for launch in 2027. NASA's over-budget Space Launch System (SLS), a gigantic rocket built by Boeing and Northrop Grumman for the Artemis programme, could also cancelled after its third mission.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China signs deal with Russia to build a power plant on the moon — potentially leaving the US in the dust
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Russia has signed a deal with China to build a nuclear power plant on the moon. The Russian reactor will be used to power the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), jointly led by China and Russia, and should be completed by 2036, according to a memorandum of cooperation signed by the two nations. The announcement comes just after NASA revealed a 2026 budget proposal that would axe the agency's plans for an orbital lunar base. The construction of the Chinese-Russian reactor will likely be carried out autonomously "without the presence of humans," according to a 2024 interview with Yury Borisov, director general of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, on the Russian state-owned news site TASS. While details of how this can be achieved remain unclear, Borisov added that the technological steps are "almost ready." "The station will conduct fundamental space research and test technology for long-term uncrewed operations of the ILRS, with the prospect of a human being's presence on the Moon," Roscosmos wrote in a May 8 announcement following the signing of the memorandum. The new research station, a permanent, manned lunar base located on the moon's south pole, has so far attracted 17 countries to join the program — including Egypt, Pakistan, Venezuela, Thailand and South Africa. Its groundwork will be laid by China's 2028 Chang'e-8 mission, which will be the nation's first time landing an astronaut on the lunar surface. Related: Russia and China announce plan to build shared nuclear reactor on the moon by 2035, 'without humans' The roadmap for the ILRS was first unveiled in June 2021, with China and Russia announcing they would loft the pieces for a robotic moon base using five super heavy-lift rocket launches from 2030 to 2035. Once these basic pieces are established, China plans additional launches that will extend the base further, connecting it to a space station orbiting the moon and two nodes located at the moon's equator and its far side, Wu Yanhua, the chief designer of China's deep exploration project, said at a 2024 media conference, according to state media outlet Xinhua. This extended model, laying the foundations for manned landings on Mars, should be completed by 2050. It "will be powered by solar, radioisotope and nuclear generators," Wu said. "It will also include lunar-Earth and high-speed lunar surface communication networks, as well as lunar vehicles like a hopper, an unmanned long-range vehicle, and pressurized and unpressurized manned rovers." RELATED STORIES —Russia is developing a space-based nuclear weapon to target satellites, U.S. Congress reveals —China's secret space plane deploys 6 unknown objects in orbit, and some are emitting signals —Russian satellite narrowly avoids collision with US spacecraft, and NASA could do nothing to stop it The memorandum comes at a time of growing ambition for China's space programs. The country has had a lunar presence since the 2013 landing of the Chang'e 3 mission, which placed a rover on the moon. Subsequent missions landed more rovers on the moon and Mars, while collecting samples from the moon's near and far sides, and mapped out the lunar surface. China's race to build a lunar outpost also has an American rival in the Artemis program, which has recently been beset by delays. Artemis III, which will see NASA astronauts return to our nearest natural satellite for the first time in over 50 years, is expected to launch sometime in 2027. Meanwhile, the future of NASA's own planned lunar space station, dubbed Gateway and initially slated for launch as soon as 2027, has been thrown into question with the release of the Trump administration's proposed 2026 budget. The budget calls for canceling the Gateway mission, despite significant progress on building the station's modules.
