NASA interim Administrator and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will announce expedited plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon, marking his first major policy move at NASA, Politico reported, citing internal documents.
First reactor on the Moon by 2030
While NASA has long discussed the potential of nuclear energy on the lunar surface, Duffy’s plan sets a definitive timeline for a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor to be operational by 2030, according to documents obtained by Politico. Previously, NASA had funded work on a smaller 40-kilowatt system.
The directive, set to be released this week, orders the space agency to solicit proposals from the private sector and designate a project leader within 60 days. The push comes amid growing concerns about China and Russia’s collaborative lunar base project and their potential to establish dominance in space.
‘Keep-Out Zone’ concerns
The internal directive reportedly warns that the first country to deploy a reactor on the moon could establish a ‘keep-out zone’, limiting access for rivals like the US.
This geopolitical concern is driving the administration’s aggressive timeline. The news outlet notes that China plans to land astronauts on the Moon around 2030 — the same target date for the US reactor.
Space Station replacement also prioritized
In addition to the lunar reactor, Duffy’s directive reportedly calls for accelerating the replacement of the aging International Space Station (ISS). According to Politico, NASA aims to award contracts to at least two commercial space station developers within six months of issuing a formal request.
NASA’s goal is to have a commercial station in orbit by 2030, thereby avoiding a lapse that would leave China’s Tiangong as the only permanently crewed space station.
