NASA aims to build nuclear reactor on the moon: Report

The acting chief of US space agency NASA is reportedly set to unveil a directive this week to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030, in a bid to boost US space dominance amid growing competition from China and Russia.

According to internal documents obtained by Politico, NASA will seek proposals from private industry to develop a 100-kilowatt reactor capable of powering long-term missions on the lunar surface. The reactor is aimed at supporting future crewed operations.

“This is about winning the second space race,” a senior NASA official told Politico, speaking anonymously.

The agency has been instructed to select a program lead and begin industry consultations within 60 days, the report says.

The goal is to launch the reactor by 2030 – around the same time China aims to land its first astronaut on the moon.

NASA previously funded research into a smaller 40-kilowatt system, but the new plan sets a more ambitious timeline. The documents also warn that the first country to install a reactor could declare exclusive zones on the moon, potentially limiting access for others.

Given proposed Trump administration cuts to NASA’s budget – slashing it nearly a quarter, from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion – the news raises questions how the nuclear project would be funded, and if it was, how much money would be left over for more traditional space science.