NASA is committed to plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030
The US space agency and the Department of Energy will work together to build a fission reactor on the lunar surface over the next four years.
2024 concept image of NASA’s Fission Surface Energy System for the Moon.
The moon is going nuclear. NASA and US Department of Energy on Tuesday announced A commitment to build a fission reactor on the surface of the Moon.
NASA is exploring nuclear power for the Moon for yearsBut the effort got a boost late last year Order To build one to ensure “American space superiority” from President Donald Trump.
According to NASA, the reactor will be able to operate for years “without the need for refueling.” It will provide electricity to the agency artemis programWhich seeks to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon and eventually Mars.
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“The United States is committed to returning to the Moon, building habitable infrastructure, and making the investments needed for the next great leap to Mars and beyond,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement.
Nuclear power may sometimes be an ideal fuel source in the dark, cold lunar atmosphere. While many lunar landers are equipped with batteries and solar panels to keep them running for the duration of their missions, they eventually run out of fuel – either due to lack of sunlight due to the Moon’s rotation on its axis or because their batteries run out.
The space agency’s partnership with DOE could help speed up NASA’s efforts to build a moon-ready reactor. In addition to any technical hurdles, putting a nuclear reactor on the Moon would require a significant amount of engineering to ensure that it works as intended on the lunar surface.
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