Putin’s envoy proposes nuclear technology support to SpaceX for Mars colonization, calling Elon Musk a “great visionary” and signaling a shift in US-Russia space diplomacy.
March 28, 2025: Moscow/Murmansk:
In a bold diplomatic and technological overture, Russia has proposed supplying a small nuclear power plant to support Elon Musk’s Mars colonization mission, according to Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin’s envoy for international cooperation.
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Speaking at the Arctic Forum in Murmansk, Dmitriev said Russia was open to discussing the proposal directly with Musk via video conference. This marks the second time this month that Russia has hinted at potential collaboration with the SpaceX CEO, who recently reaffirmed his ambition to send the Starship rocket to Mars by the end of next year.
“Russia can offer a small-sized nuclear power plant for a mission to Mars and other advanced technological capabilities,” Dmitriev said, as reported by state news agency RIA.
The offer comes amid ongoing diplomatic talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian officials to revive strained bilateral relations, which have remained frozen due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite sanctions, Moscow appears keen to rebuild economic and technological bridges, with space exploration as a key area of mutual interest.
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Dmitriev, who also heads a Russian sovereign wealth fund that attracts foreign investments, praised Musk as a “great visionary” and highlighted Russia’s advanced nuclear technology as a valuable contribution to interplanetary exploration.
“We believe that Russia has a lot to offer for a mission to Mars… Our nuclear technologies could be a game changer,” he added.
Musk, closely associated with Trump politically, has projected human landings on Mars by 2029, although he recently admitted 2031 is a more likely target. He envisions building a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet within two decades—an endeavor that would require long-term, reliable power sources like nuclear energy.
The Russian side has previously expressed ambitions in this domain. In 2023, Yuri Borisov, then chief of Roscosmos, confirmed that Russia and China were working on installing a nuclear power plant on the moon between 2033 and 2035 to support future lunar settlements.
Russia has also announced plans to pursue its own Mars mission, following the suspension of a joint project with the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2022 due to geopolitical tensions stemming from the Ukraine conflict.
As space ambitions grow bolder, the emerging space diplomacy between old rivals like the US and Russia could shape the next phase of human exploration.
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