US to build nuclear reactor on the Moon

The United States is preparing to take a major step in space exploration, officially announcing its intention to build a nuclear fission reactor on the surface of the Moon by 2030. The statement was made by Sean Duffy, head of NASA and also US Secretary of Transportation, in a tense geopolitical and technological context, dominated by space competition with China, informs DPA. "We are in a race to the Moon, in a race with China and to have a base on the Moon, we need energy,” Duffy said in a firm statement, which emphasizes the key role of nuclear technology in the infrastructure of the lunar future.

• From Research to Deployment: The 100-kW Reactor

According to a report published by Politico, NASA is set to solicit concrete proposals from industry in the next 60 days for a 100-kilowatt reactor that could be operational within five years. The project is no longer just an idea in the lab: "We've spent hundreds of millions of dollars studying this technology. Now we're moving on to the next stage: deployment,” Duffy said.

• Geopolitical stakes: First to the Moon sets the rules

Internal NASA documents reviewed by Politico highlight the strategic implications of this project. The first nation to successfully install a functioning nuclear reactor on the moon could "declare a no-go zone” around the facility, a move that could limit access for other nations and have serious diplomatic and scientific consequences. China has also announced plans for a manned mission to the Moon by the end of this decade, increasing pressure on the United States to maintain its technological lead.

• Why is nuclear power needed on the Moon?

The energy issue is a fundamental one for any long-term mission to the Moon. During the lunar night, which lasts about 14 Earth days, solar energy is not available, and classic batteries or generators cannot support the demands of a permanent base. Nuclear energy offers stability, autonomy and efficiency. A 100 kW reactor could power not only survival systems and scientific laboratories, but also future industrial instruments and technologies for exploiting lunar resources, such as lunar regolith mining.

• The Artemis program: returning to the Moon after 50 years

The nuclear reactor is part of the US's ambitious plan to return to the Moon with a human crew after more than half a century. The Artemis program aims to send the first crew to the lunar surface in 2027, as part of a long-term strategy to establish a permanent presence on the Moon.

In the long term, this initiative could become the cornerstone for future missions to Mars and beyond, providing a model for energy autonomy in space.

Building a nuclear reactor on the Moon is not only an engineering challenge, but also a symbol of technological and geopolitical ambition. In a world where control of space is becoming increasingly important, whoever gets there first will not only make history, but significantly influence the rules of the game for decades to come. Nuclear power could prove to be the key to a new era of space exploration, and 2030 is already on the horizon.