Other nations may seek to establish nuclear reactors on the moon, but acting NASA administrator is advocating for the United States to claim this lunar energy asset first.
Headline: U.S. Plans to Deploy 100-Kilowatt Nuclear Reactor on Moon by 2030 to Secure Lunar Presence
The United States government, under the leadership of Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, has announced a bold plan to deploy a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030. This initiative aims to provide a reliable power source for lunar operations, particularly to survive the two-week-long lunar night and support a future lunar economy and Mars missions.
The plan, known as the Fission Surface Power (FSP) Project, targets creating a nuclear power system generating at least 40 kilowatts, but recent directives have pushed the target to 100 kilowatts. The use of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)—smaller and more adaptable than conventional nuclear reactors—is part of this approach.
NASA's reactor plan is driven by national security concerns and a competitive desire to establish a strategic presence on the moon before rivals such as China and Russia. China is also advancing its lunar exploration capabilities, including potential nuclear-based power systems, although explicit public details of China’s reactor plans on the moon remain largely undisclosed.
The U.S. directive emphasizes the importance of acting quickly to "win the space race" and establish a foothold in key lunar locations rich in resources like ice and sunlight. The first country to place a reactor on the moon could potentially declare a keep-out zone, significantly inhibiting other countries from establishing a presence there.
In recent years, billions of dollars have been spent developing SMRs, and as of now, there are no SMRs currently in operation. The development of these reactors is ongoing in the U.S., with the aim of overcoming the limitations of solar power on the moon, which cannot function during the long lunar nights.
The directive calls for a "Fission Surface Power Program Executive" to be named within 30 days, who will implement and oversee the project. This move follows a second directive issued by Duffy on July 31, 2023, which aims to speed up the development of replacements for the International Space Station, set to retire by 2030.
NASA has not used a fission nuclear reactor in space, but it has been using nuclear material to power spacecraft since the 1960s, specifically radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). The U.S. is in a race with China to establish a base on the moon, and energy is critical for this endeavor. Duffy stated that there is a specific area on the moon where ice and sunlight are available, and he wants the U.S. to claim that location for America.
While China and Russia have announced a joint effort to place a reactor on the moon by the mid-2030s, the exact details of their plans remain unclear. The U.S. urgency to proceed implies that China’s progress is a significant motivating factor for accelerated U.S. action. This competitive context, coupled with Artemis Accords provisions for safety zones that do not establish sovereignty but aim to avoid interference, frames the U.S. reactor plans as part of a broader strategic and diplomatic approach to lunar resource and space exploration management.
- The international race to establish a strategic presence on the moon between the United States, China, and Russia is intensifying, with each nation focused on advancing their lunar exploration capabilities, including the use of nuclear-based power systems.
- The U.S. announcement to deploy a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030 is a part of its wider effort to secure a reliable energy source for lunar operations and support a future lunar economy.
- Beyond the moon, the advancement in technology, particularly Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), is a significant focus in the general-news domain, as these reactors aim to overcome the limitations of solar power in space and could have applications in space-and-astronomy.
- The international business implications of the U.S.'s lunar reactor plan extend beyond the moon, as the potential control over key lunar locations rich in resources like ice and sunlight could have significant economic and diplomatic consequences.
