Lunar Nuclear Reactors Under NASA's Development Plans
NASA Pushes Forward with Plans for Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
NASA is moving ahead with plans to deploy a nuclear fission reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s, aiming to support lunar exploration, power generation on Mars, and strengthen national security in space.
As of August 2025, NASA is actively engaging with commercial industry through a Request for Information to solicit input on the design and development of a fission surface power system. The targeted reactor would provide at least 100 kilowatts of electrical power, weigh less than 15 metric tons, and utilize a closed Brayton cycle for heat-to-electricity conversion.
This initiative builds on over 60 years of NASA’s experience with nuclear technologies and follows contracts awarded in 2022 to explore early concepts for lunar nuclear power. Companies like Westinghouse, Lockheed Martin, BWXT, X-Energy, and Corbisiero's team at Idaho National Lab are involved in the development of these advanced reactors.
The new reactors are far more powerful than previous nuclear power sources used in space. They are capable of powering a few dozen homes on Earth. This increased power output is crucial for sustaining a permanent human presence on the Moon and potentially on Mars.
The race to control valuable resources and territory on the Moon is heating up, with the U.S. in a competition with China. The Moon's poles, where sunlight is constant and ice is available, are considered strategic locations. Placing a nuclear reactor on the Moon can help claim useful areas, such as craters that hold frozen water.
Solar panels don't work well on the Moon due to the long nights, and burning fuels like oil or gas isn't possible. Nuclear power offers a reliable, efficient solution to this problem.
NASA administrator Sean Duffy announced the Trump administration's intention to place a working nuclear reactor on the Moon before the end of the decade. In 2022, NASA gave $5 million each to three teams to design 40-kilowatt reactors.
China is also making strides in lunar exploration. Their Chang'e-8 mission is planned for 2029, aiming to test 3D printing and robot-built lunar bases by the 2030s.
The development of nuclear reactors for the Moon is not without its challenges, however. Funding is crucial for the project's success, and detailed timelines beyond the mid-2030s deployment and specifics on how NASA plans to counter or integrate with Chinese plans are not yet clear.
In conclusion, NASA is in the design and industry collaboration phase in 2025, aiming for deployment in the mid-2030s, emphasizing reliable, efficient nuclear electric power to enable sustainable human presence on the Moon and Mars. The race to control valuable resources and territory on the Moon is on, and the development of nuclear power technology is a key factor in this competition.
[1] NASA (2025). NASA's Fission Surface Power System: A Leap Forward in Space Power Systems. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-fission-surface-power-system-a-leap-forward-in-space-power-systems
