Overview
- NASA and the Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding this week committing to develop and deploy a lunar fission surface power reactor with a 2030 target.
- The effort aligns with a December executive order from President Trump that calls for at least one reactor on the Moon to advance American space leadership.
- Officials say the system is intended to provide safe, reliable electricity for years without refueling, operating independent of sunlight and extreme temperature swings.
- NASA has requested roughly 100‑kilowatt‑class designs and previously funded preliminary concepts from Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse, and an Intuitive Machines–X‑Energy team, with national labs supporting technical work.
- Analysts warn the timeline faces significant design, launch, landing, fuel supply and authorization challenges even as U.S. officials point to Chinese and Russian lunar reactor plans as a strategic motivator.