After demonstrating this have the operational capability to safely transport humans to the Moon and back, the United States is pursuing its next major goal: it wants to have nuclear reactors in orbit and on the lunar surface by 2030. To achieve such a goal, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration will need to work with the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.
In a post on Platform X, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) unveiled a document providing novel guidance for federal agencies to establish a space nuclear technology roadmap for the coming years. This, they believe, will ensure “American space superiority.”
Currently, space instruments operate solar energy to operate. However, this is considered impractical for more elaborate purposes. While there is technically always sunlight, the power is intermittent and almost always requires bulky batteries to store it.
Reactors produce energy continuously for years through nuclear fission. They can also be used for the so-called nuclear electric propulsion. Continuous production makes them the most viable option for maintaining a lunar base, but they could also allow spacecraft to undertake long and elaborate missions without fear of exhausting restricted supplies of chemical fuel.
In miniature, nuclear technology allows us to go further, with more payload, for longer and with fewer constraints.
According to memorandumthe US goal is to place a medium-power reactor in orbit with a nuclear-powered variant by 2028, and by 2030 the first functional immense reactor on the lunar surface. To achieve this, both NASA and the Pentagon will develop energy technologies in parallel, leveraging the current competitive strategy among contractors.
Reactors will need to be modular and scalable, and will need to accommodate applications for both future lunar life and space propulsion. For its part, the DOE will need to ensure that these projects have the fuel, infrastructure and safeguards necessary to achieve their goals. In addition, the agency will assess whether the industry will be able to produce up to four reactors within five years.
The plan includes technologies that produce at least 20 kilowatts of electricity (kWe) for three years in orbit and at least five years on the lunar surface. In the meantime, they should have a design capable of increasing power to 100 kWe. The first projects should appear within a year.
Finally, the order requires OSTP to create an action plan for the initiative, identifying obstacles and recommendations for their removal.
“Nuclear power in space will provide us with the sustainable electricity, heating and propulsion necessary for a sustained presence on the Moon, Mars and beyond,” OSTP sent. For his part, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman sent“It’s time for America to start using nuclear power in space.” The message was followed by a US flag emoji.
The plan provides a common framework for cooperation for each agency. In the background, the race for space infrastructure reflects technological competition with China, which is also seeking advanced energy capabilities for the Moon.
This story originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish and was translated from Spanish.