Earth Knowledge Bureau
Text | Lin Jiance
Proofreading | Chao Qian Editing | Lazy to spray
Recently, Russia announced a very “crazy” plan: to build a nuclear power station on the lunar surface within 5-7 years.
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This news has attracted a lot of attention. However, last year, China and Russia signed an agreement to jointly build a lunar nuclear power station. But now it seems, just like the CR929, everyone will do their own thing.
And it’s not just one crazy plan: at the beginning of the year, NASA and the US Energy Department announced that they also want to build a nuclear power station on the Moon. NASA is preparing to acquire 400 kilograms of enriched nuclear fuel from the Energy Department.
Trump’s term ends in January 2029
Currently, NASA needs to keep the deadline for returning to the moon, building a base, and a nuclear reactor all within his term▼
A nuclear power station is no simple matter. It’s already difficult to set one up on Earth, so why are countries vying to build one on the Moon?
Of course, it’s because everyone is preparing to go to the Moon——
In early next month, NASA’s Artemis 2 will send astronauts to lunar orbit. There are plans to establish a permanent base on the Moon’s surface.
Concept art of the Artemis Base
(Image: NASA)▼
The Chinese magazine “Space Technology” recently published a special issue on manned lunar landing, revealing for the first time papers about the new generation of crewed spacecraft “Dream Boat” and the lunar lander “Moon Catcher”.
(Image: Manned landing and takeoff system design and key technology research)▼
Decades ago, the Apollo moon landing was more about showcasing national strength during the Cold War. Today’s lunar programs focus more on resource development and scientific research, serving future deep space activities while counting long-term economic benefits.
Moon landing photo captured by Armstrong in 1969
(Image: NASA)▼
Thus, a stable base with abundant energy supply must be built on the Moon. However, producing alternative energy on the Moon is quite difficult……
A lunar day lasts nearly 30 days on Earth, meaning half a month without sunlight. This means that currently, the most commonly used solar energy by spacecraft is not feasible.
Theoretically, another approach is to harvest lunar ice resources when the sun is shining, electrolyze water to generate hydrogen and oxygen. When there’s no sunlight, use hydrogen for power. It seems cumbersome…
Nuclear fuel, on the other hand, is not a problem. It is estimated that there are about 840 million tons of thorium and 360 million tons of uranium on the Moon. The reserves for these two resources on Earth are only in the million tons range.
However, how to mine these resources is another topic……
The usable reactors in space and on the Moon are small nuclear reactors:
China’s “Linglong No.1” is the world’s first commercial modular small reactor, only 30 meters in diameter. Testing is nearing completion, and it is expected to begin power generation in the second half of this year.
Construction site of “Linglong No.1”
(Image: Wiki)▼
Russia has also utilized its years of experience with nuclear-powered civilian icebreakers to develop a small nuclear product, RITM-200N. Although still in the testing phase, it has already received orders from Uzbekistan.
RITM-200 reactor▼
Despite the many advantages of nuclear power stations, setting one up on the Moon presents significant challenges.
While the Moon does not lack nuclear resources, it lacks the cooling materials essential for nuclear power plants. Currently, nearly all nuclear power plants require large amounts of water for cooling, or else they risk overheating and accidents.
An 1-million-kilowatt nuclear unit on Earth needs several thousand tons of cooling water every hour for operation. Although the reactors moved to the Moon will be small-scale, how to cool them down remains a challenging issue.
Nuclear power plants generate a massive amount of heat during operation,
requiring significant water for cooling, mostly built near seas
(Image: Wiki)▼
Moreover, existing small reactors have yet to be tested in a vacuum and microgravity environments, leaving doubts as to whether they will work in space.
As a theoretically infinite energy source, humanity has long aimed to bring nuclear energy into space. In “The Adventures of Tintin,” the lunar rocket uses a nuclear-powered engine.
In the comic, the lunar rocket is powered by nuclear energy
(Image: Tintin)▼
The two comic books were published in 1953/54, reflecting humanity’s growing interest in nuclear energy even before landing on the Moon——
two series of stories on “Approaching the Moon” and “Moon Exploration”▼
American toy manufacturers launched youth atomic energy kits, daring to use Geiger counters as toys; the Soviet Miasishev Design Bureau proposed a crazy M60 nuclear-powered strategic bomber plan, which theoretically could never land.
Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory
Starting young with nuclear energy…
(Image: Wiki)▼
However, in reality, the Soviets only equipped a Tu-95 with a nuclear reactor for testing, encasing the cockpit in lead so that the pilot’s viewpoint was almost zero; and even then, they only conducted a few circles in the sky without daring to activate the reactor.
For a long time, both space nuclear power and lunar nuclear power stations may just remain as theoretical projects.