Fact Check: US-Russia Space Nuclear Threats and Lunar Power Plans

A nuclear blast in space. The US is now war gaming the unthinkable. A strike that could wipe

out satellites, GPS, and blind modern militaries overnight. Not science fiction, a real scenario.

Because if war reaches orbit, the fallout won't stay in space. Fears of a new arms race in space are

intensifying as the United States raises alarms over Russia's potential development of nuclear capable [music]

anti-satellite weapons. Recent assessments suggest Moscow may be exploring systems capable of detonating

a nuclear device in orbit. An act that could disable or destroy large numbers of satellites

>> [music] >> in a single strike. Experts warn that such a scenario would have devastating

[music] consequences, crippling GPS, communications, and surveillance networks that underpin both military

operations and civilian life. The concern has prompted urgent action. On March 23rd, US Space Command

conducted its first Apollo Insight Commercial Integration Wargame, bringing together defense officials,

allied nations, and private space companies to simulate a worst-case nuclear event in space.

The exercise focused on maintaining operations if satellite networks were suddenly disrupted, and identifying ways

to strengthen [music] resilience across military and commercial systems. The scale of participation reflected the

seriousness of the threat. More than 60 companies and 175 representatives took part, alongside partners from Australia,

Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, as well as agencies including NASA and the Department of Energy.

Military leaders describe the risk as one of the most significant challenges to modern warfare. A high-altitude

nuclear detonation could generate an electromagnetic pulse and long-lasting radiation effects, potentially disabling

large portions of low Earth orbit for years. The fears are not theoretical.

In 2021, Russia conducted a direct ascent anti-satellite test that created thousands of debris fragments, [music]

raising global concerns over space militarization. Newer capabilities, officials warn,

could go far beyond such [music] tests, targeting entire satellite constellations.

If we fail to adjust our mindset, if we cling to the myth that space is somehow different, we risk falling behind our

opponents who have already made that adjustment. Despite existing treaties banning

nuclear [music] weapons in orbit, enforcement remains limited. As reliance on space systems grows, the message from

US officials is increasingly stark. Space is no longer a passive domain. It is becoming an active battlefield, and

preparation is now a strategic priority. Russia has announced plans to place a power plant on the moon within the next

decade, as it seeks to support its lunar space program and a joint Russian-Chinese research station amid

intensifying global competition to explore Earth's only natural satellite. Russia's state space corporation,

Roscosmos, said it intends to build a lunar power plant by 2036, and has signed a contract with the

Lavochkin Association Aerospace Company to carry out the project. The facility is intended to supply energy for

Russia's lunar activities, including robotic rovers, scientific observatories, and the infrastructure of

the planned Russian-Chinese International Lunar Research [music] Station.

In a statement, Roscosmos described the project as "an important step towards the creation

of a permanently functioning scientific lunar station and the transition from one-time missions to a long-term lunar

exploration program." Roscosmos did not explicitly state that the plant would be nuclear.

However, it said the project's participants include Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, and the

Kurchatov Institute, the country's leading nuclear research center, strongly suggesting that nuclear

technology will be involved. The head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, said in June that one of the

corporation's objectives was to place a nuclear power plant on the moon, alongside [music] ambitions to explore

Venus. The planned power plant is designed to provide electricity [music] to lunar rovers, observatories, and

infrastructure, including facilities used by international partners. According to Roscosmos, a key purpose is

to ensure uninterrupted operations during the moon's extreme conditions, particularly the two-week-long lunar

nights when solar power is unavailable. The project is also intended to support sustained scientific research and the

testing of technologies needed for a long-term human presence on the moon. Under the current timeline, Roscosmos

signed a contract with NPO Lavochkin in December 2025, with the project scheduled for completion by 2036.

The plan involves spacecraft development, testing, and deployment. Earlier, Russian-Chinese plans had

targeted a timeframe of 2033 to 2035, formalized in a memorandum signed in May 2025.

Russia's renewed lunar ambitions come [music] against the backdrop of both past achievements and recent setbacks.

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 [music]

and increasingly China. A significant blow came in August 2023, when Russia's unmanned Luna 25 mission

crashed into the moon's surface during a landing attempt. At the same time, advances by private companies, most

notably those led by Elon Musk, have transformed space launch capabilities, an area once dominated by Russia.

The lunar project is being pursued in [music] partnership with China through cooperation between Roscosmos and the

China National Space Administration. The International Lunar Research Station initiative builds on agreements dating

back to 2021, and is expected to involve up to 13 countries. Russian institutions, including Rosatom

and the Kurchatov Institute, are responsible for nuclear-related aspects of the program.

As major powers accelerate their efforts to explore and utilize the lunar surface, Russia's plan to deploy a power

plant underscores its determination to remain a significant player in the next phase of space exploration.