Latest news with #moonbase
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Korea wants to build a moon base by 2045
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. South Korea's space ambitions keep growing. The nation wants to build a moon base by 2025, The Korea Times reported on Thursday (July 17), citing a long-term exploration road map that the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) laid out that same day during a hearing at the National Research Foundation of Korea in Daejeon. That road map "outlines five core missions, including low Earth orbit and microgravity exploration, lunar exploration, and solar and space science missions," The Korea Times wrote. KASA, which was established just last year, aims to develop homegrown lunar landing and roving technology, as well as the ability to extract and exploit moon resources such as water ice. Some of this work is already underway. For example, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources recently deployed prototype lunar rovers in an abandoned coal mine, testing tech that could be used for space mining down the road. And South Korea already has some experience at and around the moon. In August 2022, the nation launched its first moon probe — called the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter or Danuri — atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Danuri reached lunar orbit four months later and is still going strong, studying the moon with its suite of instruments. South Korea had already been aiming for the lunar surface; officials have said they want to put a robotic lander on the moon by 2032. But the newly revealed road map ups the ante. The nation plans to develop a new, presumably more capable moon lander by 2040, "with the goal of building a lunar economic base by 2045," The Korea Times wrote. Related Stories: — South Korea creates new KASA space agency, sets sights on the moon and Mars — South Korea's moon mission snaps stunning Earth pics after successful lunar arrival — South Korea is converting an abandoned coal mine into a moon exploration testing ground South Korea isn't the only nation with moon-base ambitions. The United States also plans to build one or more lunar outposts in the next decade or so, via NASA's Artemis program. China is working toward the goal as well, in partnership with Russia and other nations. And India has said it wants to build a moon base by 2047. The moon isn't KASA's only distant destination, by the way; the agency also wants to pull off South Korea's first-ever Mars landing by 2045.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Korea wants to build a moon base by 2045
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. South Korea's space ambitions keep growing. The nation wants to build a moon base by 2025, The Korea Times reported on Thursday (July 17), citing a long-term exploration road map that the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) laid out that same day during a hearing at the National Research Foundation of Korea in Daejeon. That road map "outlines five core missions, including low Earth orbit and microgravity exploration, lunar exploration, and solar and space science missions," The Korea Times wrote. KASA, which was established just last year, aims to develop homegrown lunar landing and roving technology, as well as the ability to extract and exploit moon resources such as water ice. Some of this work is already underway. For example, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources recently deployed prototype lunar rovers in an abandoned coal mine, testing tech that could be used for space mining down the road. And South Korea already has some experience at and around the moon. In August 2022, the nation launched its first moon probe — called the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter or Danuri — atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Danuri reached lunar orbit four months later and is still going strong, studying the moon with its suite of instruments. South Korea had already been aiming for the lunar surface; officials have said they want to put a robotic lander on the moon by 2032. But the newly revealed road map ups the ante. The nation plans to develop a new, presumably more capable moon lander by 2040, "with the goal of building a lunar economic base by 2045," The Korea Times wrote. Related Stories: — South Korea creates new KASA space agency, sets sights on the moon and Mars — South Korea's moon mission snaps stunning Earth pics after successful lunar arrival — South Korea is converting an abandoned coal mine into a moon exploration testing ground South Korea isn't the only nation with moon-base ambitions. The United States also plans to build one or more lunar outposts in the next decade or so, via NASA's Artemis program. China is working toward the goal as well, in partnership with Russia and other nations. And India has said it wants to build a moon base by 2047. The moon isn't KASA's only distant destination, by the way; the agency also wants to pull off South Korea's first-ever Mars landing by 2045.
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.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
China and Russia make deal to build power station on the MOON by 2036 as part of vast Disneyland sized lunar space-base
RUSSIA has inked a deal with China to build a nuclear power station on the moon, as part of their shared lunar space-base. The Russian reactor will be used to power the sprawling International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), which is being jointly led by China and Russia, according to a new agreement signed by the two nations. 1 The space -base is expected to be completed by 2036. It comes as the US's own plans for a rival lunar base face uncertainty. A 2026 budget proposal recently put forward by the Trump administration would see Nasa axe plans for an orbital lunar base. Nasa's original plans were to establish an orbital lunar base, the Lunar Gateway, before deploying surface-based lunar habitation. The construction of a Chinese-Russian reactor will likely be carried out autonomously "without the presence of humans," Yury Borisov, chief of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, said in an interview last year. Borisov added that the technological steps are "almost ready", although details of how this will be achieved remain unclear. Experts have long proposed using a fleet of autonomous robots, controlled by humans on Earth, to build the early stages of off-planet habitation. "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 an announcement following the signing of the memorandum. 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. US and China set to ship humans to long-term Moon bases 'in 10 years' says scientist in stark warning over colony 'risk' 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. "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. That will be followed by five super heavy-lift rocket launches between 2030 and 2035 which will carry the necessary materials to the lunar surface. Additional launches are planned to extend the base further, eventually connecting to a Chinese lunar space station and and two nodes on the far side of the Moon, according to Wu Yanhua, the chief designer of China's deep exploration project, cited by state media outlet Xinhua last year. Why the lunar south pole? The lunar south pole has been a site of interest to all space-faring nations, including the US, China, Russia, and India. Last year, India made history by becoming the first country to land near the southern site. Just days before, Russia also made an attempt at a south pole touchdown, which ended in a crash landing. Nasa's Artemis III mission is intended to explore a region near the lunar south pole. The south pole is, scientists believe, the most promising location for water-based ice, which will be key to future human habitation on the Moon. The abundance of precious lunar materials, such as Helium-3, is also thought to be a big draw. The south polar region is one of the Moon's most resource-dense areas. So-called 'cold traps' dotted on lunar surface are believed to contain gases like Helium-3 which can help produce huge amounts of energy here on Earth.
