Overview
- The agencies signed a memorandum of understanding this week that sets a goal of delivering a lunar surface reactor by 2030 and extends decades of NASA–DOE collaboration.
- The planned fission surface power system is designed to run for years without refueling, providing steady power through the two‑week lunar night for Artemis and future Mars missions.
- The Department of Energy describes an initial demonstrator at up to roughly 40 kilowatts, while some reports cite concepts near 100 kilowatts, reflecting differing architectures under study.
- The agreement spans research, development, fueling, authorization and launch readiness, with industry participation reported from Westinghouse, Lockheed Martin, Intuitive Machines and X‑energy, and analysts note likely reliance on heavy commercial landers such as Starship or Blue Moon.
- Experts caution that design, testing, safety approvals and lunar delivery pose significant risks to the 2030 schedule, while U.S. officials point to Chinese and Russian lunar nuclear plans as a strategic driver.