Archive · 14 Jan 2026
US Plans Nuclear Reactor on Moon by 2030
The US has a plan to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030.
NASA and the US Department of Energy are working together on this project.
The reactor will use a special technology called a fission surface power system.
This system can make lots of electricity, no matter the sunlight or temperature.
The goal is to have a steady power source for future Moon missions.
Other countries like China and Russia also have similar plans, with Russia aiming to build a lunar power plant by 2036.
This is a big step towards exploring the Moon and beyond.
NASA and the US Department of Energy signed an agreement to develop a nuclear reactor for the Moon by 2030.
The reactor will use a fission surface power system to provide continuous power for lunar missions.
President Trump's executive order directs the agencies to have a lunar surface reactor ready by the end of the decade.
China and Russia also have plans to build a nuclear power station on the Moon, with Russia aiming for 2036.
The project aims to enable sustained lunar missions and pave the way for future space exploration.
- Who
- NASA and US Department of Energy
- What
- Development and deployment of a nuclear reactor on the Moon
- When
- By 2030
- Where
- On the Moon
- Why
- To provide continuous and abundant power for future lunar missions
- Agencies Involved
- NASA and US Department of Energy
- Technology
- Fission surface power system
- Objective
- Provide continuous power for lunar missions
- Target Year
- 2030
- Competitors
- China and Russia
- Competitors' Target Year
- 2036