NASA and the US Department of Energy are working to develop and deploy a nuclear reactor on the moon’s surface within the next four years — fulfilling one of President Trump’s visions for space development, according to authorities.
The agencies signed a memorandum of understanding anticipating they will accomplish the ambitious goal of deploying nuclear reactors both on the moon and in orbit by the year 2030, the DOE and NASA announced on Tuesday.
The reactors will use a fission surface power system, capable of producing “safe” and “plentiful electrical power,” for future long lunar missions — regardless of sunlight or temperature, the department said.
“Under President Trump’s national space policy, America is committed to returning to the Moon, building the infrastructure to stay, and making the investments required for the next giant leap to Mars and beyond,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement.
“Achieving this future requires harnessing nuclear power. This agreement enables closer collaboration between NASA and the Department of Energy to deliver the capabilities necessary to usher in the Golden Age of space exploration and discovery,” Isaacman continued.
NASA has been working for a few years to develop a nuclear reactor capable of powering one or several bases on the lunar surface, which would be established under its Artemis program, Space.com reported.
Trump issued an executive order, titled “Ensuring American Space Superiority,”in December to begin constructing a permanent lunar surface base by 2030.
The order also called for at least one nuclear reactor to be deployed to the moon by that same year to achieve US dominance in space.
“History shows that when American science and innovation come together, from the Manhattan Project to the Apollo Mission, our nation leads the world to reach new frontiers once thought impossible,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in a statement.
“This agreement continues that legacy. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and his America First Space Policy, the Department is proud to work with NASA and the commercial space industry on what will be one of the greatest technical achievements in the history of nuclear energy and space exploration,” Wright said.
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