Latest news with #Artemis3
Mint
15 hours ago
- Science
- Mint
US vs China: NASA plans to build nuclear reactor on Moon. What it means? All we know so far
.NASA's interim administrator Sean Duffy recently announced plans to install a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface by 2030. He said the US is in a new space race with China to claim the most resource-rich part of the moon. Water ice and continuous sunlight make certain parts of the moon, especially near the south pole, ideal for setting up a permanent moon base. These conditions are important for both sustaining human life and generating power. "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 said. Unlike solar power, fission systems can operate around the clock — invaluable during the weeks-long lunar nights or Martian dust storms. Notably, spacecraft orbiting the Earth or stationed on the moon are typically powered by solar panels. However, solar power alone won't be enough for long-term human occupation of the moon, said Roger Myers, an expert on space-based nuclear power, "The sun sets on the moon for two weeks," he was qopted by NPR as saying. "You have to have another source of energy: The sun and batteries do not work. We're going to have to have nuclear power." Duffy explained earlier in August 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 days. The US is rushing to put nuclear power reactors on the Moon and Mars, and hopes to launch the first system by the end of the decade. NASA is currently working to return astronauts to the moon through its Artemis program, which aims to establish one or more bases on the lunar surface by 2030 or so. Meanwhile, China also plans to set up a moon base, in partnership with Russia and a number of other nations. A successful manned landing before 2030 is likley to boost China's plans to build a "basic model" of the International Lunar Research Station by 2035. This manned base, led by China and Russia, would include a nuclear reactor on the moon's surface as a power source," Reuters reported. NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return to the Moon and establish a lasting presence near the south pole, has faced repeated delays. The timeline for Artemis 3, the first planned crewed landing, has slipped to 2027, a date few see as realistic given the planned lander, SpaceX's Starship, is far from ready. China, meanwhile, is targeting 2030 for its first crewed mission and has proven more adept at meeting its deadlines in recent years. A space lawyer said a lunar nuclear reactor "may sound dramatic, but it's neither illegal nor unprecedented." "Nothing in international law prohibits the peaceful use of nuclear power on the Moon," Michelle LD Hanlon, Professor of Air and Space Law, University of Mississippi wrote in The Conversation. She said that if deployed responsibly, it could allow countries to peacefully explore the Moon, fuel their economic growth and test out technologies for deeper space missions. Hanlon explained why being the first to do so is important. She said, "The first country to succeed could shape the norms for expectations, behaviors and legal interpretations related to lunar presence and influence." The space law expert said building infrastructure is not staking a territorial claim. 'No one can own the Moon, but one country setting up a reactor could shape where and how others operate – functionally, if not legally,' she added. She further believe that a reactor on the Moon 'isn't a territorial claim or a declaration of war. But it is infrastructure.' Since 2000, NASA has invested $200 million towards developing small, lightweight fission power systems, though none have progressed towards flight readiness, according to the new NASA directive -- first reported by Politico and seen by AFP on Tuesday. The most recent effort came in 2023 with the completion of three $5 million industry study contracts that focused on generating 40 kilowatts of power, enough to continuously run 30 households for 10 years. NASA formally committed to using nuclear power on Mars in December 2024 -- the first of seven key decisions necessary for human exploration of the Red Planet. Besides, the United Nations' 1992 Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space recognises that nuclear energy may be essential for missions where solar power is insufficient.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
NASA races to put nuclear reactors on Moon and Mars
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The United States is rushing to put nuclear power reactors on the Moon and Mars, and hopes to launch the first system by the end of the decade. A new NASA directive -- first reported by Politico and seen by Agence France-Presse on Tuesday -- calls for the appointment of a nuclear power czar to select two commercial proposals within six months, framing the push as crucial to outpacing a joint Chinese-Russian effort. Signed by acting NASA chief Sean Duffy, who is also US transportation secretary, the July 31 memo is the latest sign of the agency's shift toward prioritizing human space exploration over scientific research under President Donald Trump's second term. "Since March 2024, China and Russia have announced on at least three occasions a joint effort to place a reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s," it says. "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." The idea of using nuclear energy off-planet is not new. Since 2000, NASA has invested $200 million toward developing small, lightweight fission power systems, though none have progressed toward flight readiness, according to the directive. The most recent effort came in 2023 with the completion of three $5 million industry study contracts that focused on generating 40 kilowatts of power, enough to continuously run 30 households for ten years. Unlike solar power, fission systems can operate around the clock -- invaluable during the weeks-long lunar nights or Martian dust storms. Advances in technology have made such systems increasingly compact and lightweight. NASA formally committed to using nuclear power on Mars in December 2024 -- the first of seven key decisions necessary for human exploration of the Red Planet. Based on feedback by industry, surface power needs should be at least 100 kilowatts to support "long-term human operations including in-situ resource utilization," meaning things like life support, communications, and mining equipment to collect surface ice. It assumes the use of a "heavy class lander" that carries up to 15 metric tons of mass, and targets a "readiness to launch by the first quarter of FY30," meaning late 2029. NASA's Artemis program to return to the Moon and establish a lasting presence near the south pole has faced repeated delays. The timeline for Artemis 3, the first planned crewed landing, has slipped to 2027, a date few see as realistic given the planned lander, SpaceX's Starship, is far from ready. China meanwhile is targeting 2030 for its first crewed mission and has proven more adept at meeting its deadlines in recent years.
Vancouver Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
NASA races to put nuclear reactors on Moon and Mars
WASHINGTON — The United States is rushing to put nuclear power reactors on the Moon and Mars, and hopes to launch the first system by the end of the decade. A new NASA directive — first reported by Politico and seen by AFP on Tuesday — calls for the appointment of a nuclear power czar to select two commercial proposals within six months, framing the push as crucial to outpacing a joint Chinese-Russian effort. Signed by acting NASA chief Sean Duffy, who is also U.S. transportation secretary, the July 31 memo is the latest sign of the agency's shift towards prioritizing human space exploration over scientific research under President Donald Trump's second term. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Since March 2024, China and Russia have announced on at least three occasions a joint effort to place a reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s,' it says. '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.' The idea of using nuclear energy off-planet is not new. Since 2000, NASA has invested $200 million towards developing small, lightweight fission power systems, though none have progressed towards flight readiness, according to the directive. The most recent effort came in 2023 with the completion of three $5 million industry study contracts that focused on generating 40 kilowatts of power, enough to continuously run 30 households for ten years. Unlike solar power, fission systems can operate around the clock — invaluable during the weeks-long lunar nights or Martian dust storms. Advances in technology have made such systems increasingly compact and lightweight. NASA formally committed to using nuclear power on Mars in December 2024 — the first of seven key decisions necessary for human exploration of the Red Planet. Based on feedback by industry, surface power needs should be at least 100 kilowatts to support 'long-term human operations including in-situ resource utilization,' meaning things like life support, communications, and mining equipment to collect surface ice. It assumes the use of a 'heavy class lander' that carries up to 15 metric tons of mass, and targets a 'readiness to launch by the first quarter of FY30,' meaning late 2029. NASA's Artemis program to return to the Moon and establish a lasting presence near the south pole has faced repeated delays. The timeline for Artemis 3, the first planned crewed landing, has slipped to 2027, a date few see as realistic given the planned lander, SpaceX's Starship, is far from ready. China meanwhile is targeting 2030 for its first crewed mission and has proven more adept at meeting its deadlines in recent years.
Int'l Business Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
NASA Races To Put Nuclear Reactors On Moon And Mars
The United States is rushing to put nuclear power reactors on the Moon and Mars, and hopes to launch the first system by the end of the decade. A new NASA directive -- first reported by Politico and seen by AFP on Tuesday -- calls for the appointment of a nuclear power czar to select two commercial proposals within six months, framing the push as crucial to outpacing a joint Chinese-Russian effort. Signed by acting NASA chief Sean Duffy, who is also US transportation secretary, the July 31 memo is the latest sign of the agency's shift towards prioritizing human space exploration over scientific research under President Donald Trump's second term. "Since March 2024, China and Russia have announced on at least three occasions a joint effort to place a reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s," it says. "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." The idea of using nuclear energy off-planet is not new. Since 2000, NASA has invested $200 million towards developing small, lightweight fission power systems, though none have progressed towards flight readiness, according to the directive. The most recent effort came in 2023 with the completion of three $5 million industry study contracts that focused on generating 40 kilowatts of power, enough to continuously run 30 households for ten years. Unlike solar power, fission systems can operate around the clock -- invaluable during the weeks-long lunar nights or Martian dust storms. Advances in technology have made such systems increasingly compact and lightweight. NASA formally committed to using nuclear power on Mars in December 2024 -- the first of seven key decisions necessary for human exploration of the Red Planet. Based on feedback by industry, surface power needs should be at least 100 kilowatts to support "long-term human operations including in-situ resource utilization," meaning things like life support, communications, and mining equipment to collect surface ice. It assumes the use of a "heavy class lander" that carries up to 15 metric tons of mass, and targets a "readiness to launch by the first quarter of FY30," meaning late 2029. NASA's Artemis program to return to the Moon and establish a lasting presence near the south pole has faced repeated delays. The timeline for Artemis 3, the first planned crewed landing, has slipped to 2027, a date few see as realistic given the planned lander, SpaceX's Starship, is far from ready. China meanwhile is targeting 2030 for its first crewed mission and has proven more adept at meeting its deadlines in recent years.
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Artemis 2 astronauts stress importance of their moon mission as NASA faces budget, workforce cuts: 'We have to move the needle.'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The four astronauts of NASA's Artemis 2 mission don't hide from the fact that their mission comes at a pivotal time for the space agency. "We do not shy away from the reality that we are in," Artemis 2 mission commander Reid Wiseman told reporters today (July 30) here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Wiseman spoke with media alongside mission pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. The four astronauts are scheduled to launch on NASA's Artemis 2 mission around the moon no earlier than April 2026 after several delays. NASA faces a significant cut to its 2026 budget — a potential loss of up to 24% of its total funding that would cancel more than 40 current and upcoming missions. In addition, nearly 4,000 employees are leaving the agency after opting in to a deferred resignation program, reducing the agency's workforce by more than 20%. Another 500 employees have left this year, and all in all, NASA's workforce is projected to shrink by about 21% by Jan. 9, 2026. And the crew of Artemis 2 have been feeling the losses. "It does hurt to lose friends," Wiseman told reporters today, while also stressing that the crew believes the necessary personnel are still in place to prepare hardware and training for Artemis 2. "We have said goodbye to some really good friends, but at the end of the day, we absolutely have the team across the board right now to finish." But the Artemis 2 commander underscored that his crew remains focused on proving that the investment in space exploration is worth it during a time when more and more flagship NASA programs are on the chopping block and agency employees describe NASA as being "under attack." "How do we get the leaders to care, our elected officials to care?" Wiseman said. "We don't know what a year from now is going to look like, a year and a half from now, but we know exactly what we have to do for the next six months, and we're a part of a team that is focused and knows what we have to do." The Trump White House has proposed ending NASA's Artemis program of planned moon missions after Artemis 3., which is currently scheduled to lift off in mid-2027. Wiseman said today that the proposal only fuels the crew to execute their mission when the time comes. "And so we are clear-eyed on making Artemis 2 a success," Wiseman said. "And that's the best way to get them to care, to invest and to decide and change behaviors, and it also is the best way to ensure that there may be something beyond Artemis 3. And so I think those are tied together." Aside from budgetary and workforce uncertainty, the crew also touched upon the issues the Artemis 2 mission's Orion spacecraft faced on its maiden voyage in late 2022, the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission to lunar orbit. The spacecraft's heat shield experienced unexpected levels of charring upon reentry, causing pieces of it to burn away. Some third-party safety groups flagged the heat shield issues as too risky for a human crew. But Glover says that the agency's own review process has given the crew full confidence in their spacecraft. "A lot of those are outsiders that haven't been in these meetings from day one and met the team and looked them in the eye and shook their hands at the ends of these meetings," Glover said today. "But the other thing is, I don't want to discount the things that they said. Anytime you talk about fire, anytime you talk about entry and heat shields, you talk about parachutes, these are high risk things that sometimes don't have fault tolerance built in. They have to work. "And so I appreciate all of that nudging and poking and prodding that they've caused. They have made us sharpen our pencils and put more due diligence, more vigilance into that process." Koch echoed Glover's confidence, adding that the "appropriate skepticism" is ultimately why the crew feels comfortable with the craft's heat shield. "This should be characterized as a true American success story," Hansen added. "I mean, this country now knows things about heat shield technology it didn't know it didn't know. And that's like, that's the art — that's when you know you're pushing the boundaries." Aside from the lessons learned from the Orion spacecraft's heat shield, Koch said Artemis 1 has taught the crew the importance of vigilance. NASA hailed Artemis 1 as a success, but Koch said that success came with a price. "The huge success of Artemis 1 is actually something we need to think about as a risk or even a threat to Artemis 2, because we have to keep our vigilance up," she said. "So I would say one of the things we learned is that, despite our successes, we have to keep asking hard questions, and we have to keep tracing down things that are acting like we don't expect." Related Stories: — NASA's Artemis program: Everything you need to know — NASA's Artemis 2 mission: Everything you need to know — Meet the 4 astronauts flying on NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission Ultimately, despite the troubles facing the agency and the issues with Orion's heat shield, the crew of Artemis 2 said today that they are focused on proving to the world that NASA and the United States are capable of once again returning humans to the moon, a milestone that could someday put the agency on a path to Mars. Glover described how the Artemis 2 crew will be able to look down upon areas of the moon never seen before by human eyes, a feat that all of humanity can share in. "The weight of that idea really hit me a couple of weeks ago walking out of building nine, where we had a giant inflatable moon, and we were practicing, from the medium-fidelity mockup, taking pictures and making observations. And that just it hit me as I walked out of there, going: 'Wow, we have to move the needle.'" Solve the daily Crossword
