NASA Wants to Put a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon by 2030

NASA wants to send a nuclear power plant to the Moon by the year 2030. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy says this is an important step for future space missions.

The goal is to build a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor that can survive the Moon’s extreme temperatures and provide power even during its two-week-long nights. Solar panels, which work well on the International Space Station, won’t work on the Moon during that time. A reactor would give astronauts the continuous power they need to live and work.

Nuclear power in space isn’t new. Spacecraft like Voyager 1 and 2 have used small plutonium-based power sources for decades. But this new idea would be much stronger, using fission, the same process as in power plants on Earth.

Experts say the plan is possible but challenging. The reactor must be small and light enough to fit in a rocket, and it can’t be turned on until it lands safely on the Moon. Past designs for smaller reactors were too heavy, and no spacecraft yet exists that can carry the full load, though rockets like SpaceX’s Starship might work.

Some scientists say 2030 is too soon, especially since there’s no lunar base yet that needs this much power. Still, NASA says having a deadline helps speed up progress.

At the moment, the space programs in China and Russia are both planning to start putting moon bases on the moon. U.S. officials want to make sure they don’t get left behind or blocked from key parts of the Moon.

Several companies, including Lockheed Martin and Intuitive Machines, are expected to compete for the job of building the reactor. The project could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

“This is no longer science fiction,” said Sebastian Corbisiero, who helps lead the U.S. space nuclear program. “We can do this — the question is, will we?”