Putin makes Elon Musk and atomic offer he may not be able to refuse: Report

Musk has long championed Mars colonization.

UPDATED MAR 29, 2025

The potential collaboration marks a shift in US-Russia relations. (Background image is AI-generated)

Moscow, Russia: Russia is considering backing SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ambitious mission to Mars by providing advanced nuclear technology, according to a statement from Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin’s envoy for international cooperation.

The statement, according to German website Merkur, revealed that Moscow could supply a small nuclear power plant for the mission and plans to discuss details with Musk via video conference.

Trump also gave a special shout out to Elon Musk: “Thank you, Elon, thank you. How good was his endorsement? — Elon Musk's SpaceX aims to launch its first unmanned mission by 2026, with crewed flights potentially following by 2029.

"Russia can offer a small nuclear power plant for a mission to Mars and other advanced technological capabilities," Dmitriev said, as reported by state news agency RIA. He praised Musk as a "great visionary" and emphasized Russia’s expertise in nuclear energy as a key asset for deep-space exploration.

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Musk has long championed Mars colonization. SpaceX aims to launch its first unmanned mission by 2026, with crewed flights potentially following by 2029. However, technical hurdles remain — SpaceX’s Starship rocket, intended for the mission, has faced multiple failures in test flights, raising doubts about Musk’s timeline.

The potential collaboration marks a shift in US-Russia relations, which have been strained over the Ukraine war. Since Trump resumed dialogue with Putin earlier this year, Moscow has sought to smooth ties with Washington despite ongoing sanctions.