Overview

• In a July 31 memo, Duffy formalized the 2030 launch target for a lunar nuclear reactor by appointing a program lead and issuing a request for proposals.
• The 100 kW fission system aims to supply continuous power during the two-week lunar night and support Artemis base assemblies and future Mars missions.
• Internal NASA budget cuts coupled with a White House proposal to slash 24% of funding threaten the Boeing-led Space Launch System, concentrating delivery reliance on SpaceX’s Starship.
• Repeated explosions during Starship test flights underscore the risk of relying on an unproven heavy-lift vehicle for reactor delivery.
• The accelerated timeline seeks to preempt a China–Russia lunar reactor slated for 2035 and secure early energy infrastructure that could enable sovereign keep-out zones.