US wants to put a nuclear reactor on the moon, Nasa chief says
The directive, first reported by Politico, mentions China and Russia's joint-effort to place a reactor on the moon by the mid-2030s. The two US adversaries first announced their plans in March last year.
'The first country to do so could potentially declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States from establishing a planned Artemis presence if not there first,' Mr Duffy warned in the directive.
Nasa is working with the US energy department and the broader space industry to design a fission power system that would provide at least 40 kilowatts of power. The space agency has already mentioned the benefits of developing fission surface power (FSP) on the moon and Mars.
'Relatively small and lightweight, fission systems are powerful and could enable robust operations on the moon and Mars,' Nasa states on its website.
Nasa's Artemis campaign aims to establish the first long-term presence on the moon.
During Mr Trump's inaugural address, he said the US would launch astronauts 'to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars'.
'It is about winning the second space race,' a Nasa senior official also told Politico.
In Duffy's new timeline, a fission surface power programme executive will be designated within 30 days of the directive. The executive 'is empowered to provide reporting and updates with maximum transparency directly to the administrator,' the Nasa chief wrote.
Within 60 days, Nasa will ask for industry proposals for the nuclear reactor, according to the directive.
The directive mentioned Trump's budget request for the 2026 fiscal year, which includes $350m for a new programme 'that will accelerate the development of high priority technologies for Mars'.
The funding would increase up to $500m starting in 2027.
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