Russia and China Reveal Plans for the World's First Nuclear Power Plant on the Moon

The Selena project will rely on a compact Russian reactor originally designed for the Arctic—and could change how we power lunar missions.

Russian scientists are working on the first-ever nuclear power plant designed to operate on the Moon. The Selena project, a joint venture with China, is based on the Yelena-AM small power system currently being developed for extreme conditions in Yakutia. The announcement was made by Mikhail Kovalchuk, head of the Kurchatov Institute, according to Atomnaya Energiya.

Unlike traditional nuclear plants on Earth, the lunar version will use a liquid metal coolant, eliminating the risk of boiling or high-pressure incidents. It will also function without turbines or complex mechanical components, reducing the need for maintenance—an essential feature for remote space applications.

The goal is to deploy the station by 2036. The reactor is a critical component of future lunar infrastructure, as solar panels cannot provide consistent power during the Moon’s 14-day night cycle.

Though the ground-based Yelena-AM reactor is still in the design phase, its technology already forms the core of the planned space system. The effort underscores Russia’s ambition to lead in nuclear innovation both on Earth and beyond.