Russia plans to build a nuclear power station on the surface of the Moon within the next decade to supply energy for its lunar space program and to support a joint Russian-Chinese research station, amid growing competition among major powers to explore space.

Since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space in 1961, Russia has long prided itself on being a leading space power. However, in recent decades it has fallen behind the United States and, increasingly, China.