A nuclear reactor on the Moon? How the U.S. just unleashed a new era of space power to outpace China and Russia
nuclear reactor on the Moon
by 2030:
In a move that could reshape the future of space exploration, interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, who also serves as Transportation Secretary and is a former Fox Business host, is expected to announce a fast-tracked plan to deploy a nuclear reactor on the Moon by the year 2030. This marks his first major agency initiative and signals the Trump administration's growing ambition to win the second space race—this time against China and Russia.
Why is NASA planning a nuclear reactor on the Moon?
NASA's goal is simple yet ambitious: power long-term lunar missions with a
100-kilowatt nuclear fission reactor
. The technology will provide reliable, round-the-clock energy for astronauts, research stations, and equipment during the harsh 14-day lunar night, when solar power becomes unreliable.
Productivity Tool
Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide
By Metla Sudha Sekhar
View Program
Finance
Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory
By Dinesh Nagpal
View Program
Finance
Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code
By CA Rahul Gupta
View Program
Digital Marketing
Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel
By Neil Patel
View Program
Finance
Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading
By Kunal Patel
View Program
Productivity Tool
Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide
By Study at home
View Program
Artificial Intelligence
AI For Business Professionals Batch 2
By Ansh Mehra
View Program
Unlike previous space energy systems, this lunar nuclear reactor would allow future missions to explore, mine, and survive in permanently shadowed craters near the Moon's south pole—potentially unlocking water, oxygen, and other vital resources.
What is Sean Duffy's plan and how is it different?
Sean Duffy is taking a more aggressive approach than past NASA leaders. While NASA had already been developing a 40-kilowatt fission surface power (FSP) system, Duffy has directed the agency to scale up to 100 kilowatts and shave years off the timeline—setting a launch target for 2030.
He's also ordered:
Live Events
A 60-day deadline for industry proposals
A designated lead coordinator inside NASA
A full review of all nuclear power projects tied to lunar missions
This push is all part of a broader strategy to
outpace China
, which is actively working on its own advanced lunar nuclear technology.
What makes nuclear power essential for Moon missions?
Power is everything in space. And on the Moon, it's even more critical.
Lunar nights last 14 Earth days—too long for solar panels to handle alone
Nuclear power offers continuous energy, even in dark craters or during extreme cold
A 100-kW reactor can power habitats, mining tools, scientific labs, and rovers at the same time
Without nuclear, NASA would struggle to maintain permanent human presence on the Moon or build infrastructure needed for future Mars missions.
How will this Moon reactor work? Is it safe?
The plan builds on NASA's Kilopower project, which successfully tested a small nuclear system back in 2018. The current design will likely:
Be compact and lightweight, built to survive space launch
Use highly enriched uranium to power a fission system
Generate electricity through heat-to-electric converters
Safety remains a top priority. All systems must meet strict launch and radiation standards to prevent harm in case of failure. The Department of Energy, FAA, and international agencies are expected to collaborate on safety protocols.
What are the challenges NASA could face?
Even with political backing,
this won't be easy
. Key challenges include:
Massive payloads
: Reactors aren't light—they require heavy-lift launch vehicles
Regulatory approval
: Launching nuclear material involves layers of red tape
Budget uncertainty
: NASA faces proposed cuts of 25%, including 50% to science programs
Technology risks
: Going from prototype to real deployment in 5 years is an engineering stretch
Still, Duffy insists that America must lead in space power technology to stay ahead of its rivals.
Is China ahead in the space race?
China has been vocal about its ambitions. Earlier this year, its state-run space agency claimed it had developed a smaller, more efficient reactor than NASA's planned design—using just 18 kilograms of uranium compared to the 70 kilograms in U.S. prototypes.
Beijing has also accelerated its lunar base plans and suggested it could deploy nuclear systems to power its outposts by the early 2030s. The U.S. sees this as a clear challenge, and Duffy's announcement reflects growing pressure to counter China's space push.
Why is this announcement such a big deal?
This isn't just another space headline. It's a signal that the U.S. is preparing to lead the next era of lunar exploration, with energy independence at its core.
By fast-tracking a lunar nuclear reactor, Sean Duffy is putting NASA at the center of a global competition for off-world infrastructure. If successful, this move could lay the groundwork for everything from moon bases to Mars missions—and secure U.S. leadership in space for decades to come.
FAQs:
Q: Is the U.S. really putting a nuclear reactor on the Moon?
Yes, NASA plans to launch a nuclear reactor to power future Moon missions.
Q: Who is leading NASA's new lunar nuclear project?
Sean Duffy, the interim NASA chief and U.S. Transportation Secretary, is leading the effort.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
What is Currys' ‘Mind the Grab' Campaign and how a purple line plans to tackle phone theft on London streets
Londoners are being urged to keep away from the edge of pavements and hide their phones as part of a new anti-theft campaign . UK's largest tech retailer, Currys , has teamed up with Westminster Council , the Metropolitan Police , and charity Crimestoppers to launch the 'Mind the Grab' initiative. The campaign features purple lines painted along Oxford Street, one of the capital's busiest shopping areas. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Inspired by the London Underground's 'Mind the Gap' warning, the markings are designed to prompt people to step back from the kerb and reduce the risk of phone snatching. What is Curry's Mind the Grab? This new safety campaign, called "Mind the Grab" on London's Oxford Street, is to tackle the rising cases of phone theft. In partnership with Westminster Council, the Metropolitan Police, and Crimestoppers, Curry's campaign features purple pavement lines near the edge of footpaths to remind people to step back from the kerb and keep their phones hidden. The initiative is inspired by the London Underground's 'Mind the Gap' markings and aims to prevent thieves, often on mopeds or e-bikes, from snatching phones out of pedestrians' hands. Live Events The campaign comes in response to alarming figures, with over 34,000 phones stolen in Westminster in 2024, around one every 15 minutes. Research commissioned by Currys shows that 77 per cent of UK residents view phone snatching as a serious issue, rising to 88 per cent in large cities like London. As part of the initiative, trained staff at Currys' Oxford Street store are offering support to victims, while researchers at Birkbeck, University of London study the campaign's impact. If successful, it may be expanded to other parts of the UK. The same research showed that 73 per cent of people feel anxious about phone theft when in the capital. Safety and support measures In this trial, Currys has trained senior staff at its Oxford Street store to support victims of phone theft. Staff can help victims contact loved ones, alert the police, cancel bank cards, and get home safely. Customers purchasing phones will also receive practical advice on how to stay safe in public. Deputy Leader of Westminster Council Aicha Less said, as quoted by that the campaign is part of broader efforts to keep residents and visitors safe in public spaces. She encouraged people to take simple steps such as keeping valuables out of sight and planning routes in advance. Studying the impact The purple line initiative is part of a pilot project led by the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck, University of London. Researchers will monitor pedestrian behaviour and phone theft trends to evaluate the campaign's effectiveness. The results are expected by the end of 2025. A spokesperson from ICPR said the team is keen to see how visual cues and familiar phrases can change public behaviour in high-risk areas. Kate Johnston from Crimestoppers said mobile phone theft leaves victims shaken. In the press release, she praised the campaign for raising awareness and encouraged people to report suspicious activity anonymously. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
News18
an hour ago
- News18
US in Race With China to Claim Best Part of Moon: NASA Chief
Washington, DC [US], August 7 (ANI): The United States is in a new space race with China to claim the most resource-rich part of the moon, NASA's interim administrator Sean Duffy said while announcing plans to install a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface by 2030.'We're in a race to the moon, in a race with China to the moon. And to have a base on the moon, we need energy," he said Addressing a press conference on Tuesday (local time) titled 'Unleashing American Drone Dominance" held by the US Department of Transportation, which Duffy also leads. Duffy explained that energy is the key to setting up a permanent base, and that's why he wants a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor placed on the moon within the next five years. He said such a reactor would generate about the same amount of electricity that a typical US household uses in 3.5 NASA administrator also said that there is a specific region on the moon that is especially valuable, and that both the US and China are eyeing it.'There's a certain part of the moon that everyone knows is the best," he said. 'We have ice there. We have sunlight there. We want to get there first and claim that for America" he ice and continuous sunlight make certain parts of the moon, especially near the south pole, ideal for setting up a permanent base. These conditions are important for both sustaining human life and generating also addressed concerns about launching nuclear material into space. He made it clear that the reactor would not be active when launched from Earth.'We're not launching this live. That's obviously if you have any questions about that, no, we're not launching it live," he comparing the Artemis lunar program to the historic Apollo missions of the 1960s and 70s, Duffy admitted that NASA's current efforts haven't captured public attention in the same way.'A lot of people don't know even what Artemis is. Everyone knew what Apollo was. We all knew. The whole world knew what Apollo was. We were going to the moon, Artemis is, we're going back," Duffy said. (ANI)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Trump moves to shut down NASA missions that measure carbon dioxide and plant health
The Trump administration is seeking to terminate two NASA missions crucial for monitoring carbon dioxide emissions, plant health, and predicting food shortages. These missions, including a satellite and an instrument on the International Space Station, provide unique and accurate data. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Trump administration is moving to shut down two NASA missions that monitor a potent greenhouse gas and plant health, potentially shutting off an important source of data for scientists, policymakers and Donald Trump's budget request for fiscal year 2026 includes no money for the Orbiting Carbon Observatories, which can precisely show where carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed and how well crops are said in an emailed statement on Wednesday that the missions were "beyond their prime mission" and being terminated "to align with the President's agenda and budget priorities".But the missions, a free-flying satellite launched in 2014 and an instrument attached to the International Space Station in 2019 that include technology used in the Hubble Space Telescope, still are more sensitive and accurate than any other systems in the world, operating or planned, and a "national asset" that should be saved, said David Crisp, a retired NASA scientist who led their helped scientists discover, for example, that the Amazon rain forest emits more carbon dioxide than it absorbs, while boreal forests in Canada, Russia and places where permafrost is melting absorb more than they emit, Crisp also can detect the "glow" of photosynthesis in plants, which helps monitor drought and predict food shortages that can lead to civil unrest and famine, he said."This is really critical," Crisp said. "We are learning so much about this rapidly-changing planet."The decision to end the missions is "extremely shortsighted", said Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan."The observations provided by these satellites ... (are) critical for managing growing climate change impacts around the planet, including in the US," he to CongressCrisp and others hope Congress will vote to preserve funding for the missions, which are funded through the fiscal year that ends on September 30.A bill in the House closely aligns with the president's request and would eliminate the missions, while a Senate version preserves them. But with Congress in recess, it is unclear whether a budget will be adopted before the new fiscal year that begins on October it does not, Congress could adopt a resolution to continue current funding until a budget is passed, though some lawmakers fear the Trump administration could try to delay or withhold that Democrats warned acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy last month that it would be illegal to terminate missions or impound funds already appropriated by said the administration's move to eliminate funding aligns with other actions to cut or bury climate science."The principle seems to be that if we stop measuring climate change, it will just disappear from the American consciousness," said University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael planCrisp and others also are trying to put together a coalition of outside partners -- including from Japan and Europe -- that could fund and operate the instrument attached to the space station. NASA said it will accept outside proposals through August free-flying satellite, though, is at risk of being brought down, meaning it would burn up in the atmosphere. National Public Radio first reported that NASA employees were making plans to end the said advocates are hoping NASA also allows outside control of that satellite, which covers more of the globe, but there are legal hurdles to overcome because it would mean giving control of a US satellite to a group that could include foreign partners."We are going out to billionaires. We are going out to foundations," Crisp said. "But ... it is a really, really bad idea to try and push it off onto private industry or private individuals or private donors. It just does not make sense."
