Russian engineers are working on a project of a Moon base that will eventually hold up to 12 people, the spokeswoman of a research institute with the Russian space agency Roscosmos told local media.

Zharova reportedly said that the lunar outpost project was initiated in the late 1960s-early 1970s.The base will be set up on the Moon surface, while radiation protection shelters and energy units can be hidden underground.

"At the initial stage, the Moon base will be manned by no more than 2-4 people, with their number later rising to 10-12 people," Olga Zharova, of the TsNIIMash machine-building institute, was quoted by the Izvestia newspaper on Tuesday.

The location for the outpost has not been chosen yet. The Moon's south pole is generally perceived as the optimal choice. The colonization of the Moon will start with identifying a perfect spot where manned and cargo spaceships could land safely, the spokeswoman said.

Source: Sputnik News