China and Russia have agreed to build a nuclear-powered lunar base by 2036 at the Moon’s south pole. The International Lunar Research Station will support scientific research and resource exploration, marking a major step in their joint space efforts amid shifting global space priorities.
China and Russia have formalized an agreement to construct a nuclear-powered lunar base by 2036, marking a significant milestone in their collaborative space exploration efforts. The project, known as the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), aims to establish a permanent presence on the Moon's south pole, a region of strategic interest due to its potential water ice reserves and valuable resources like Helium-3.
The ILRS will feature a command center, communication hub, scientific research facilities, and a nuclear power station. The reactor, to be constructed autonomously using robotic technologies, will provide essential energy for operations. The groundwork will begin with China's Chang'e-8 mission in 2028, targeting its first crewed lunar landing, followed by several heavy rocket launches through 2035 to deliver base components.
This development comes amid US. uncertainties, with proposed NASA budget cuts threatening the Lunar Gateway project. Former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has raised concerns about potential Chinese territorial claims on the Moon - claims China denies, stating the ILRS will support international scientific research. China has already invited 17 nations to participate in the ILRS, including Egypt, Venezuela, South Africa, and Pakistan.
The Moon's south pole attracts interest due to possible water ice and valuable resources like Helium-3, crucial for sustaining long-term human presence and energy generation. The ILRS is expected to support long-term, unmanned operations and lay the groundwork for sustained lunar habitation.
As the ILRS progresses, it signals the shifting dynamics in lunar exploration, with China and Russia positioning themselves as key players in the next era of space exploration.
Sanctions are a long-used tool designed as an alternative to military force and with the objective of changing governments’ behaviour, but they also...
Azerbaijan’s participation in the United States-backed Board of Peace reflects a clear calculation of national interest, according to Chingiz Mammad...
Millions of people in Britain are struggling to afford basic necessities, with a new report warning that the number living in the deepest levels of po...
A clock in a Tel Aviv square that became a rallying point for Israelis demanding the release of hostages taken during the October 2023 Hamas attack wa...
Turkish defence firm Aselsan announced on Monday that it had signed a deal with the NATO alliance, of which Türkiye is a longstanding member, for the...
Sanctions are a long-used tool designed as an alternative to military force and with the objective of changing governments’ behaviour, but they also end up hurting civilian citizens.
Azerbaijan’s participation in the United States-backed Board of Peace reflects a clear calculation of national interest, according to Chingiz Mammadov, Research Alumni of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Woodrow Wilson International Center.
Turkish defence firm Aselsan announced on Monday that it had signed a deal with the NATO alliance, of which Türkiye is a longstanding member, for the supply of “Identification of Friend or Foe” (IFF) interrogator systems for use with Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS.
Secret negotiations between U.S. officials and the Taliban over remaining American detainees have stalled, after the Taliban publicly tied any further releases to the fate of the last Afghan held at Guantánamo Bay, according to a report by The New York Times published on 26 January 2026.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, an incident that has triggered protests and intensified tensions between state and federal authorities.
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday the country should not fear pursuing energy ties with the United States, as Caracas seeks to expand oil and gas production and attract foreign investment.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected a U.S. magazine report on the death toll during January unrest. Nationwide protests erupted in response to soaring inflation and a national currency crisis.
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
The death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has climbed to 6,126, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
China has successfully completed its first metal 3D printing experiment in space, marking a significant step forward in the country’s efforts to develop in-orbit manufacturing capabilities.
A faint hand outline found in an Indonesian cave has been dated to at least 67,800 years ago, making it the oldest known example of rock art and offering new insight into early human migration across Southeast Asia.
New modelling suggests Mars shapes some of Earth’s long-term orbital rhythms, including shorter eccentricity cycles and a 2.4-million-year pattern that vanishes without its gravitational pull.
Ashley St. Clair, mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, has filed a lawsuit against Musk’s company xAI, alleging that its AI tool Grok generated explicit images of her, including one portraying her as underage.
Britain’s Royal Navy has successfully conducted the maiden flight of its first full-sized autonomous helicopter, designed to track submarines and carry out high-risk maritime missions amid rising tensions in the North Atlantic.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment