The United States is moving swiftly to deploy nuclear power reactors on the Moon and Mars, aiming to launch the first system by the end of this decade. According to a new NASA directive first revealed by Politico, the agency plans to appoint a dedicated “nuclear power czar” within six months to evaluate and select two commercial proposals. The initiative is being positioned as vital to staying ahead of a growing China-Russia collaboration in space. The directive, dated July 31 and signed by acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy — who also serves as U.S. Transportation Secretary — highlights a strategic pivot under President Donald Trump’s second term, with the agency now placing greater emphasis on human space exploration over pure scientific pursuits. The memo notes that “since March 2024, China and Russia have jointly announced plans on at least three separate occasions to deploy a nuclear reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s.” “The first country to do so could potentially declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States from establishing a planned Artemis presence if not there first.” The idea of using nuclear energy off-planet is not new. Since 2000, Nasa has invested $200 million towards developing small, lightweight fission power systems, though none have progressed towards flight readiness, according to the directive. The most recent effort came in 2023 with the completion of three $5 million industry study contracts that focused on generating 40 kilowatts of power, enough to continuously run 30 households for ten years. Unlike solar power, fission systems can operate around the clock — invaluable during the weeks-long lunar nights or Martian dust storms. Advances in technology have made such systems increasingly compact and lightweight. Nasa formally committed to using nuclear power on Mars in December 2024 — the first of seven key decisions necessary for human exploration of the Red Planet. Based on feedback by industry, surface power needs should be at least 100 kilowatts to support “long-term human operations including in-situ resource utilisation,” meaning things like life support, communications, and mining equipment to collect surface ice. It assumes the use of a “heavy class lander” that carries up to 15 metric tons of mass, and targets a “readiness to launch by the first quarter of FY30,” meaning late 2029. Nasa’s Artemis program to return to the Moon and establish a lasting presence near the south pole has faced repeated delays. The timeline for Artemis 3, the first planned crewed landing, has slipped to 2027, a date few see as realistic given the planned lander, SpaceX’s Starship, is far from ready. China, meanwhile, is targeting 2030 for its first crewed mission and has proven more adept at meeting its deadlines in recent years.
NASA accelerates efforts to deploy nuclear reactors on the Moon and Mars
