Other reports cite official documents which claim a manned Russian mission to Mars could be possible in 2030 following the creation of a moon base. "Above all, we are talking about flights to the moon and the creation of a base close to its north pole where there is likely to be a source of water," read one of the documents, according to the Telegraph.
Russian scientists are also said to have touted the moon as a potential source of energy, saying it contains large reserves of helium 3, a sought-after isotope that may be the key to a new way of generating power.