Russia could supply a small nuclear power plant for the Mars mission planned by billionaire and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the Kremlin's envoy for international cooperation Kirill Dmitriev said today, quoted by Reuters, BTA reports.
Dmitriev said Moscow could discuss its proposal with Musk via video link.
This is the second time this month that the Kremlin envoy has spoken about possible cooperation with the billionaire.
The proposal was made after US President Donald Trump began talks with Russia aimed at resuming bilateral relations, which have reached to their lowest levels in decades due to the war in Ukraine. Moscow hopes for economic cooperation with Washington even if US sanctions against the country remain in place.
Musk, who is close to President Trump, said earlier this month that his Starship rocket would be launched to Mars by the end of next year despite several failed tests for various reasons and amid skepticism from some space experts about Musk's estimated timetable.
In a post on the social network X, the billionaire said that manned flights could start landing on Mars as early as 2029, but "more likely in 2031."
Last year, he spoke of his plans to build a "self-sustaining city in about 20 years" on Mars - something that will require a source of energy, Reuters notes.
Dmitriev, who also heads a fund to attract foreign investors, said on the sidelines of the “Arctic Forum“ in Murmansk that Russia could contribute a lot to a possible Mars mission.
“Russia can offer a small-scale nuclear power plant for the Mars mission and other advanced technologies“, he said, quoted by the state agency RIA.
“We believe that Russia has a lot to offer for a Mars mission, because we have several nuclear technologies and I think they could be applied“, Dmitriev added, saying that Moscow is willing to cooperate with Musk, who has been described as a “great visionary“.
Last year, the then head of the Russian space agency “Roscosmos“ Yuri Borisov said Russia and China are considering installing a nuclear power plant on the Moon between 2033 and 2035 - something he said could one day allow for the construction of lunar settlements.
In 2022, Russia said it would begin work on its own mission to the Red Planet after the European Space Agency suspended the joint project following the outbreak of war in Ukraine.