The United States is setting its sights on commencing the development and testing of nuclear reactors intended for space applications within the next three to four years. A recent policy brief released by the White House indicates that NASA will soon initiate a program focused on engineering a mid-range power reactor, including an option designed for the lunar surface; this system is targeted for launch readiness by 2030. Concurrently, the agency has been tasked with exploring a space-based version of the reactor unit to serve as a demonstration for nuclear electric propulsion.
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As outlined in the document, NASA is slated to engage in partnerships with several contractors. These partners will be responsible for advancing the project through preliminary design stages and ground-based trials to validate the operability of the hardware. Furthermore, the White House is placing strategic emphasis on the parallel competitive efforts underway at both NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense. The goal is to deploy low- and medium-output nuclear power systems to space and the Moon in the near term, with an anticipated transition to higher-capacity reactors during the 2030s.
The primary focus lies in developing standardized components: reactors destined for lunar power generation and those for nuclear propulsion should share common elements, such as fuel and parts of the hardware architecture, wherever feasible. These medium-power systems are expected to deliver a minimum of 20 kW. A smaller, more compact reactor option, capable of generating at least 1 kW, is also under consideration.
This initiative was publicly unveiled by Michael Kratsios, the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He framed the project within the context of the current administration’s objective to bolster American leadership in space, asserting that space-based nuclear energy is crucial for establishing a lasting human presence on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Russia, too, is engaged in efforts concerning nuclear power units for lunar deployment and a space tug. According to the most recent available information, the assembly of Russia’s nuclear surface power unit for the Moon is projected to commence in 2032.
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