NASA Plans First Lunar Nuclear Reactor by 2030 Amid US-China Power Race

NASA, under acting head Sean Duffy, is accelerating plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030 to support a lunar base and assert geopolitical influence ahead of China and Russia, who aim to have their own reactors operational by 2035. The proposed reactor, producing at least 100 kilowatts, would ensure continuous power during the Moon's two-week night, enabling life-support, scientific research, industrial activities, and potentially more efficient spacecraft propulsion. This initiative represents a strategic infrastructure race rather than mere exploration, with concerns that the first country to establish nuclear power could claim exclusive access to valuable lunar regions rich in ice and sunlight. International law, including the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and UN guidelines, permits nuclear power in space for peaceful purposes, with the U.S. having legal backing to pursue this. Previous smaller reactor designs have been scrapped in favor of more ambitious projects, with urgent deadlines for proposals and leadership appointments. The Moon serves as a testing ground for nuclear power systems that could one day support human missions to Mars, highlighting the growing importance of nuclear energy in the future of space exploration.