US Plans Nuclear Reactors in Space to Power Moon Missions by 2030
TL;DR
The White House announced NASA, with the DoD and DOE, will develop modular space reactors to provide continuous power for a lunar base and propulsion, aiming for a 2028 orbiting reactor and a large surface reactor by 2030, with a roadmap to address fuel, safety, and manufacturing while competing contractors advance the tech amid US-China space competition.
- NASA Wants to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon WIRED
- NASA is building the first nuclear reactor-powered interplanetary spacecraft. How will it work? MIT Technology Review
- White House wants Pentagon to demo nuclear space power by 2031 Breaking Defense
- NASA needs nuclear power for its moon base. Here’s the White House plan to get it Scientific American
- White House releases space nuclear policy SpaceNews
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on WIRED