NASA aims to deploy nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030 in high-stakes race with China and Russia

NASA is racing to build and launch a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor to the moon by 2030, a move officials say could transform lunar exploration, and give the US a strategic edge in a new space race with China and Russia.

The order came directly from Sean Duffy, the US transportation secretary who is also serving as NASA’s acting administrator. “We’re in a race to the moon, in a race with China,” Duffy said this week. “To have a base on the moon, we need energy.”

Why nuclear power?

Unlike solar panels, which can’t generate electricity during the moon’s two-week-long nights, a nuclear reactor could provide steady power for habitats, rovers and scientific instruments, even when the temperature swings from 250°F in the day to minus 400°F at night.

Designing, building and safely launching a reactor , without turning it on until it reaches the moon, would also mean navigating years of technical development and regulatory approvals.

Who could build it?

NASA has already funded early design work for smaller 40-kilowatt reactors from Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse, and a partnership between Intuitive Machines and X-energy. But none met the weight target of under six metric tons, the 100-kilowatt version would be even heavier.

Duffy’s directive assumes a future lunar lander with a 15-metric-ton payload, possibly a cargo version of SpaceX’s Starship or Blue Origin’s Blue Moon.

The bigger picture

Duffy’s push is as much about geopolitics as science. US officials worry that if China or Russia place a reactor near the moon’s south pole first, they could create “keep-out zones” around valuable territory.