China and Russia agree to build nuclear power plant on the moon.
QuoteRussia 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.
Full story here: https://www.livescience.com/space/the-moon/china-signs-deal-with-russia-to-build-a-power-plant-on-the-moon-potentially-leaving-the-us-in-the-dust
So it's gonna be Moon Commies, not Moon Nazis.
Well... more like space-vaguely-socialist-flavoured-totalitarian-states-with-presidents-for-life than outright Space Communists, I'd say.
Technically correct, but Space Commies is catchier. :P
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on May 14, 2025, 05:54:51 PMTechnically correct, but Space Commies is catchier. :P
Definitely catchier. Though Russia is closer to Space Nazis in terms of actual substance IMO, though Space Commies fits better with their established brand. China still self-identifies as Communists, so Space Commies is probably more apt for them.
It's a veritable Space Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact!
Big gamble that there will be a Russia in 2036.
(https://media.tenor.com/_dqrhNdbEmAAAAAM/space-corrupt.gif)
Come on, someone had to. :P
Quote from: Syt on May 14, 2025, 11:51:30 PMCome on, someone had to. :P
I forgot about that cutscene. :lmfao:
No Koreans on Moon? :(
A Russian nukuler reactor. I see good things coming of that.
I wonder what a melting core sinking into the moon would do to it. :hmm: We'll find out, I guess.
Quote from: Syt on May 14, 2025, 11:51:30 PM(https://media.tenor.com/_dqrhNdbEmAAAAAM/space-corrupt.gif)
Come on, someone had to. :P
A classic! :hug:
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 16, 2025, 09:04:10 AMI wonder what a melting core sinking into the moon would do to it. :hmm: We'll find out, I guess.
Probably look really cool on a full moon.
You would think it would be much more practical to build a solar farm up there.
Quote from: Bauer on May 16, 2025, 01:15:02 PMYou would think it would be much more practical to build a solar farm up there.
They probably need power at night.
Quote from: The Brain on May 16, 2025, 01:21:43 PMQuote from: Bauer on May 16, 2025, 01:15:02 PMYou would think it would be much more practical to build a solar farm up there.
They probably need power at night.
Batteries are a thing.
Quote from: Zoupa on May 16, 2025, 03:00:56 PMQuote from: The Brain on May 16, 2025, 01:21:43 PMQuote from: Bauer on May 16, 2025, 01:15:02 PMYou would think it would be much more practical to build a solar farm up there.
They probably need power at night.
Batteries are a thing.
Night lasts for fourteen earth days on the moon.
How about solar satellites beaming down power then.
Quote from: Bauer on May 16, 2025, 03:20:29 PMHow about solar satellites beaming down power then.
This is well beyond my area of expertise; but I would assume you could use a mirror in lunar-synchronous orbit to reflect sunlight onto the lunar surface. I have no idea what the cost of that would be relative to a nuclear power reactor.
Quote from: Bauer on May 16, 2025, 03:20:29 PMHow about solar satellites beaming down power then.
Solar satellite ideas get floated a lot. There are a number of obstacles that make the idea infeasible. The primary one is that wireless energy transmission is really hard. Yes, it can be done; however, it can't be done at rates that would make for a practical power system.
Sav's solar reflector idea is an interesting variation on the idea that addresses this specific problem. I still think you'll have an issue with sunlight density not being high enough to get practical power out of the solar cells.
Quote from: Savonarola on May 16, 2025, 03:14:05 PMQuote from: Zoupa on May 16, 2025, 03:00:56 PMQuote from: The Brain on May 16, 2025, 01:21:43 PMQuote from: Bauer on May 16, 2025, 01:15:02 PMYou would think it would be much more practical to build a solar farm up there.
They probably need power at night.
Batteries are a thing.
Night lasts for fourteen earth days on the moon.
I did not know that. :sleep:
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on May 16, 2025, 04:00:56 PMQuote from: Bauer on May 16, 2025, 03:20:29 PMHow about solar satellites beaming down power then.
Solar satellite ideas get floated a lot. There are a number of obstacles that make the idea infeasible. The primary one is that wireless energy transmission is really hard. Yes, it can be done; however, it can't be done at rates that would make for a practical power system.
Sav's solar reflector idea is an interesting variation on the idea that addresses this specific problem. I still think you'll have an issue with sunlight density not being high enough to get practical power out of the solar cells.
Even without the atmosphere getting in the way?
Solar satellites beaming down energy to earth are one of those fun things I remember well from science books as a kid but you just never hear anything about these days (both in the sense of the books were wrong, it didn't happen, and in what modern predictions for the future talk about)
Quote from: Savonarola on May 16, 2025, 03:14:05 PMQuote from: Zoupa on May 16, 2025, 03:00:56 PMQuote from: The Brain on May 16, 2025, 01:21:43 PMQuote from: Bauer on May 16, 2025, 01:15:02 PMYou would think it would be much more practical to build a solar farm up there.
They probably need power at night.
Batteries are a thing.
Night lasts for fourteen earth days on the moon.
Two connected solar arrays, one on each side? :hmm:
Quote from: Savonarola on May 16, 2025, 03:14:05 PMNight lasts for fourteen earth days on the moon.
So a fortnight on the moon is 14x14 Earth days? I like that. :)
Quote from: Syt on May 17, 2025, 12:25:37 AMQuote from: Savonarola on May 16, 2025, 03:14:05 PMNight lasts for fourteen earth days on the moon.
So a fortnight on the moon is 14x14 Earth days? I like that. :)
3/4ths of the global population: intelligent design!
Well, it is less surprising when you take into account we initially built our calendar around moon cycles.