The development of the Moon will ultimately be achieved by whichever country or entity is the first to establish a nuclear power station there, according to Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute.» He emphasized that nuclear energy represents the only truly viable and sustainable power source for long-term operations on the lunar surface.
«The essential factor for settling there is energy…. There is no alternative to nuclear energy. The Moon will be mastered by whoever puts the first nuclear power station there,» Kovalchuk stated during a broadcast on the «Russia 24» television channel.
Kovalchuk also referenced Russia`s objective to have the first nuclear power plant ready for installation on the Moon by the year 2030.
He further elaborated that the Moon is intended to serve as a critical «hub» for the testing and refinement of technologies required for deep space missions. He believes that these advanced technologies could provide Russia with a unique strategic advantage in space exploration.
