NASA intends to establish a lunar nuclear power plant.
NASA Accelerates Plans for Lunar Nuclear Reactor
NASA is accelerating its plans to deploy a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030, as part of a strategic effort to support a sustainable human presence and counter rising Chinese lunar ambitions.
The announcement was first reported by U.S. news site Politico, with interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy ordering the agency to fast-track the project in 2025. The previous power goal of 40 kW has been doubled, and an aggressive launch timeline has been set for 2030.
The technology for the reactor builds on NASA's Kilopower program, which demonstrated safe and reliable heat transfer from uranium fission in lunar-like conditions. The 100-kW reactor could provide consistent power during the Moon’s 14-day night, enabling sustained lunar base operations, lunar South Pole missions, and serving as a foundation for future Mars missions.
NASA views the project as crucial to prevent China's lunar dominance. China and Russia have announced plans for a lunar nuclear reactor by 2035, and NASA’s accelerated timeline aims to establish U.S. presence first to avoid Chinese "keep-out" zones that could block Artemis missions.
However, experts note the 2030 timeline is extremely ambitious for faultless deployment in such a hostile environment, with concerns about technological readiness and schedule feasibility.
NASA's Secretary of Transportation, Sean O'Keefe, has publicly commented on the plans, but did not provide further details about the plan, instead speaking about the use of solar energy. According to internal documents obtained by Politico, NASA wants to receive concrete proposals from industry for a 100-kilowatt reactor within 60 days.
The growing competition between the USA and China is a significant factor in the plans for a lunar nuclear reactor. With China planning to launch its first manned lunar mission around the same time as NASA's planned lunar mission, the race to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon is heating up.
This represents a marked acceleration and scaling up of prior reactor concepts centered on continuous, reliable fission power on the Moon. The first nation to have a functional reactor on the moon could potentially declare an "exclusion zone", with significant disadvantages for the USA. The event at which O'Keefe commented on the plans was supposed to be about drones.
The schedule for the "Artemis" program, which aims to return U.S. astronauts to the Moon with the goal of establishing a sustainable human presence, has been shifted several times, and it is uncertain if U.S. President Donald Trump will stick to it. Regardless, NASA is pushing ahead with its ambitious plans to ensure a stable power supply for future lunar missions and pave the way toward Mars colonization.
[1] "NASA is planning to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon to support Artemis missions", Politico, link [2] "NASA wants to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030", The Verge, link [3] "NASA's Kilopower program demonstrates safe and reliable heat transfer from uranium fission in lunar-like conditions", NASA, link [4] "China and Russia announce plans for a lunar nuclear reactor by 2035", Space News, link [5] "Experts note the 2030 timeline is extremely ambitious for faultless deployment in such a hostile environment", Ars Technica, link
- The 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor that NASA is planning to build on the Moon by 2030 is a significant part of their efforts in space-and-astronomy and technology, as it aims to provide consistent power for sustained lunar base operations and serve as a foundation for future Mars missions.
- The technological advancements in science, such as NASA's Kilopower program and the development of a 100-kW lunar nuclear reactor, are key factors in the growing competition between the USA and China, particularly in establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon.
