Thanks to nuclear reactors, NASA will be able to solve the problem of a stable energy supply for a long time, pave the way for new scientific research and provide comfortable living conditions for researchers and lunar inhabitants.

Powering moon bases is a top priority for NASA’s future Artemis program. That’s why the agency created the Fission Surface Energy Project. The idea behind the project is to develop a small nuclear reactor concept that could power settlements on the Moon. In early 2022, NASA launched this program, which includes three contracts worth $5,000,000 each. Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse and IX were selected as partners and received a 12-month grant for the first phase of conceptual design development.

Reactor designs include systems for energy conversion, heat removal, and power management and distribution. Partners must also provide the estimated cost of their systems and development plans. The ultimate goal is to create a sustainable system that can provide long-term electricity needs to lunar bases. “This project also lays the foundation for planning and creating similar systems on Mars in the future.”

“Demonstrating nuclear energy on the Moon is necessary to demonstrate that it is a safe, clean and reliable option,” said Trudy Cortes, Director of the Technology Demonstration Missions Program for NASA’s Space Technology Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Lunar night is technically challenging, so having a power source such as a nuclear reactor is a viable option for long-term missions and scientific research.” Nuclear reactors can be located in shadow zones, where areas are fully or partially shaded and outside. Where sunlight can reach. These regions are also ice reservoirs.

Continuously operating nuclear reactors will be able to power lunar bases during any 14-day lunar night. The combination of solar and nuclear power plants will provide full energy coverage for residential modules and scientific laboratories. An important condition for the development of reactors is that they can operate autonomously for at least 10 years without the need for human intervention. This will reduce the risk of accidental radiation exposure and allow lunar explorers to focus on research.

Preliminary specifications for the reactor include a mass of less than 6 tonnes and a power output of 40 kilowatts. This is quite enough to meet the needs of lunar bases with electricity and to conduct scientific experiments. One such reactor on Earth could power 33 homes.

The “Surface Energy Distribution” project is open to innovation. NASA encourages its partners to think outside the box and explore new directions in reactor development. This approach will help achieve new results and enable the development of advanced power supply systems for lunar bases and future space missions.

Now NASA is starting work on the second phase, planned for 2025. Going forward, the agency expects to deliver concepts implemented in the early 2030s. After the systems are “christened” on the moon, NASA will likely redesign the nuclear reactor for use on Mars.