According to recent media reports in the United States, NASA is moving forward with plans to deploy a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030. The space agency has long been working on a 40-kilowatt fission device for future lunar missions. However, interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy’s new directive, set to be issued this week, proposes a more ambitious goal.
According to reports, the directive instructs NASA to invite private sector proposals for designing a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor. This enhanced system is scheduled for deployment by the end of the decade. It is regarded as essential for NASA’s Artemis mission, which seeks to return men to the Moon and build permanent bases by around 2030.
Due to the Moon’s lengthy nights, which span approximately 14 Earth days, nuclear energy is regarded as a more reliable solution than solar power. A reactor would supply reliable power for crewed operations and infrastructure.
The directive also addresses geopolitical concerns. According to reports, China, along with Russia and other countries, has similar ambitions to create a lunar base. It warns that any nation that reaches this milestone can impose restrictive “keep-out zones.”
