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3w ago

NASA to Solicit Industry Designs for 100-Kilowatt Lunar Reactor Within 60 Days

Duffy’s directive responds to China’s planned crewed mission by targeting a 2030 operational date for uninterrupted lunar power.

Der Mond am Nachthimmel (Symbolbild)
060280 01: Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin poses next to the U.S. flag July 20, 1969 on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. (Photo by NASA/Liaison)
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Overview

  • NASA plans to solicit industry proposals within 60 days for a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor to power lunar surface operations by 2030.
  • Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy is expected to formally announce the accelerated reactor initiative imminently.
  • The reactor aims to provide continuous electricity through the two-week lunar night, overcoming solar panel limitations.
  • The decision reflects strategic competition with China, which intends to launch its first crewed Moon mission around 2030.
  • An internal NASA paper warns that the first nation to deploy a lunar reactor could declare a keep-out zone, challenging existing space governance.