NASA is required by the US government to come up with a plan to build a nuclear reactor on the moon in the near future. US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who is also interim head of NASA, will come up with a directive directing NASA to do so this week, according to Politico.
That NASA wants to build a nuclear reactor on the moon has long been known. However, Politico now reports, based on sources, that Duffy will present a directive for this in the near future. This directive will give NASA the concrete mandate to realise the nuclear reactor.
New space race
The plans are part of a broader US government focus on reaching both the moon and Mars. The reason for this seems to include plans by the Chinese government. For instance, China already announced its Chang'e-8 lunar mission in 2021, through which it intends to lay the groundwork for a permanent research base on the moon: the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
This plan is moving forward; it seeks international partners to set up this base. The biggest partner in this regard appears to be Russian space organisation Roscosmos. Beijing earlier reported that 17 countries and international have now joined the plan. The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA are not participating.
Sources within NASA confirmed the findings to the news website. "It's all about winning the second space race," said a senior NASA policy official who wished to remain anonymous.
Also plans for Chinese-Russian nuclear reactor
As part of these plans, China is also considering building a nuclear reactor with Russia. Other power generation options are also reportedly being considered; chief engineer of the Chang'e-8 lunar mission Pei Zhaoyu previously reported that building large solar panels on the moon is also being considered.
So the US also wants to build a nuclear reactor on the moon, according to documents seen by Politico. It is reportedly for a 100 kilowatt (kW) reactor, to be operational by 2030. NASA previously investigated a 40-kW nuclear reactor on the moon.
US fears 'keep-out zone'
In the directive, Secretary Duffy states that the first country to build a nuclear reactor on the moon can declare a so-called keep-out zone, where other countries are not allowed to enter. Duffy argues that this could significantly hamper the United States (US).
The directive directs NASA to appoint a person in charge of the project within 60 days. In addition, it must gather input from industry for the plan within this timeframe. Sources within NASA report that the space agency wants to give at least two companies a contract for the realisation of the nuclear reactor within six months.
ISS replacement accelerated
Incidentally, Duffy also wants to accelerate the replacement of the International Space Station (ISS). This too should help strengthen the US' position in space.
Image: LoganArt via Pixabay
