Moon reactor plan aims for deployment by 2030

Officials announced a Memorandum of Understanding between NASA and the Department of Energy to pursue a lunar fission reactor with a target date of 2030, and agencies have awarded three $5 million contracts to industry teams. The next formal procedural step under the MoU was not specified.

Officials announced a Memorandum of Understanding between NASA and the Department of Energy to develop a fission reactor for the Moon with a target deployment year of 2030. The effort is intended to address the absence of continuous solar power during the roughly 14-day lunar night. Agencies have already funded concept work through three $5 million contracts to industry teams. The project sets design goals for a compact, long-duration power source intended for an early lunar base. Key facts: - NASA and the Department of Energy announced an MoU to develop a lunar fission reactor with a target of 2030. - Agencies awarded three $5 million technology contracts to industry teams led by Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse, and IX (a joint venture of Intuitive Machines and X-energy). - Reported design goals include fitting the reactor within a 12-foot diameter launch container and producing about 40 kilowatts of power for at least ten years. Summary: The MoU formalizes government work toward a lunar fission reactor intended to provide continuous power through lunar nights, and funded concept studies are underway. Whether the 2030 deployment target can be met was not specified and is undetermined at this time.