A nuclear reactor for use on the surface of the Moon by 2030: this is the dream of NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy, who have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the project as part of the Artemis program and future NASA missions to Mars. The space agency announced this in a statement. The agreement consolidates a long-standing collaboration and "furthers President Trump's vision of American space superiority," with the goal of ensuring the United States "world leadership in space exploration and commerce."
"Under President Trump's National Space Policy, America is committed to returning to the Moon, building the infrastructure to stay there, and making the investments necessary for the next great leap to Mars and beyond," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "Achieving that future requires harnessing nuclear energy. This agreement enables closer collaboration between NASA and the Department of Energy to provide the capabilities needed to usher in a golden age of space exploration and discovery."
NASA and DOE plan to implement a fission power system "capable of producing safe, efficient, and abundant electrical energy, capable of operating for years without refueling. Deploying a reactor on the lunar surface will enable future extended lunar missions by providing continuous, abundant power, regardless of sunlight or temperature."
(Unioneonline)