3 days ago
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Vladimir Putin (left) and Elon Musk
Russia may provide a small nuclear power plant for a Mars mission planned by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, President Vladimir Putin's envoy for international cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, said on Thursday.
Dmitriev said that Moscow could discuss the offer with Musk via video conference. "Russia can offer a small-sized nuclear power plant for a mission to Mars and other advanced technological capabilities," he was quoted as saying by the state run RIA news agency. "We believe that Russia has a lot to offer for a mission to Mars because we have some nuclear technologies that I think could be applicable," he added. Dmitriev also described Musk as a "great visionary".
This is the second time Dmitriev has spoken about possible cooperation with Musk this month. Notably, the proposal comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has opened talks with Russia aimed at improving bilateral relations, which had deteriorated due to the war in Ukraine. Despite ongoing US sanctions, Moscow is looking to expand economic cooperation with Washington, news agency Reuters.
Musk recently said that SpaceX's Starship rocket is expected to launch toward Mars by the end of next year, despite challenges in testing and skepticism from experts about the timeline. In a post on X, he mentioned that human landings on Mars could happen as early as 2029, though 2031 was more likely.
Musk has also spoken about building a "self-sustaining city" on Mars within 20 years, which would require a reliable power source.
Russia has been working on nuclear technologies for space missions. Yuri Borisov, the former head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, said last year that Russia and China were considering deploying a nuclear power plant on the moon between 2033 and 2035, which could eventually support lunar settlements.
Russia also announced in 2022 that it would develop its own Mars mission after the European Space Agency (ESA) suspended a joint project following the start of the war in Ukraine.
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