NASA Plans Lunar Nuclear Reactors To Power Long-Term Moon Missions: Report

Source: International Business Times

NASA is accelerating development of compact nuclear reactors designed to operate on the Moon, aiming to solve one of the most persistent barriers to long-term lunar exploration: reliable energy during the two-week lunar night. The initiative, detailed in a recent report by Wired on NASA's surface power strategy and outlined in a broader review of lunar infrastructure planning, focuses on deploying small fission systems capable of producing continuous electricity regardless of sunlight conditions. NASA's target design is a 40-kilowatt-class reactor system intended to operate for at least 10 years without refueling or human intervention.