The moon is going nuclear. On Tuesday NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy announced a commitment to build a fission reactor on the lunar surface.
NASA has been exploring nuclear power for the moon for years, but the endeavor got a boost late last year in an order from President Donald Trump to build one to ensure “American space superiority.”
The reactor will be capable of operating “for years without the need to refuel,” according to NASA. It will provide power for the agency’s Artemis program, which seeks to establish a long-term human presence on the moon—and eventually Mars.
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“America is committed to returning to the Moon, building the infrastructure to stay, and making the investments required for the next giant leap to Mars and beyond,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in a statement.
Nuclear power may be an ideal fuel source in the sometimes dark, cold moon environment. While many lunar landers are equipped with batteries and solar panels to keep them running for the length of their mission, they ultimately run out of fuel—either because of a lack of sunlight as the moon turns on its axis or because their batteries die.
The space agency’s partnership with the DOE could help speed NASA’s efforts to build moon-ready reactors. Aside from any technical hurdles, putting a nuclear reactor on the moon will require a significant amount of engineering to make sure it works as desired on the lunar surface.