Specialists of the National Research Center (NRC) "Kurchatov Institute" are working on the creation of a compact lunar atomic power plant (NPP) "Selena". This was announced by the president of the NRC, Mikhail Kovalchuk.
According to him, scientists have already decided on the appearance of the future object.
The project relies on the technologies of our small-capacity nuclear power plant "Elena-AM", which the Kurchatov Institute is developing for Yakutia.
"Selena" will receive a reactor with a liquid metal coolant, for example, a lead-bismuth alloy. Its advantage is the absence of boiling and pressure increase, which makes the reactor plant safer.
The developed nuclear power plant will not have turbines and other rotating elements that would require maintenance. In addition, electricity at the station will appear due to the direct conversion of heat using thermoelectric or thermionic generators, Kovalchuk added.
Russia has unique technologies. It has no competitors in space nuclear energy, the President of the Kurchatov Institute summed up.
