Invading moon: NASA to install nuclear reactor on it in five years

(MENAFN) As the global space race heats up, NASA is planning to install a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030, aiming to provide consistent power for lunar settlements, research, and future missions to Mars. Officials say the project could be a crucial step toward sustaining a long-term human presence in space.

Bhavya Lal, NASA’s former associate administrator for technology, policy, and strategy, welcomed the plan, noting that a clear, deadline-driven goal for reliable power has long been missing in space exploration. “Without abundant, sustained power, everything else in space is temporary,” she told Anadolu.

The initiative comes as China and Russia also pursue nuclear energy infrastructure on the moon, adding geopolitical stakes to the technical and safety challenges.

Currently, solar energy powers satellites and space stations, but the moon’s 28-day rotation creates two-week-long nights, making solar panels alone unreliable. Simeon Barber, a research scientist at The Open University, explained that a nuclear reactor could supply continuous energy, keeping equipment functional and astronauts safe during the lunar night.

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