Russia plans to build a lunar power station by 2036, according to a statement from the country's state space corporation, Roscosmos, on Wednesday.

Roscosmos said that it signed a contract with the Russian aerospace company Lavochkin Association in December for the project.

The lunar power station is designed to provide a long-term energy supply for Russia's lunar programs, including lunar rovers and observatories, as well as the infrastructure of the International Lunar Research Station, including facilities of foreign partners.

The whole project includes spacecraft development, ground testing, flight tests and the deployment of infrastructure on the moon, it said.

According to Roscosmos, the project is a significant step toward establishing a permanently operational scientific lunar station, signaling a shift from one-off missions to a sustained lunar research program.

On April 12, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the resumption of the country's lunar exploration program during a visit to the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's far eastern Amur region.

(With input from Xinhua)