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The United States is accelerating plans to install a nuclear reactor on the moon, aiming to outpace efforts by China and Russia to establish a similar presence by the mid-2030s. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, also serving as Transportation Secretary, issued a directive urging NASA to have the reactor ready for launch by late 2029.
In the memo dated July 31, Duffy emphasized the urgency. "The first country to deploy a reactor on the moon could declare a keep-out zone," he warned, which could hinder the U.S.'s Artemis lunar program. Artemis, launched in 2017, seeks to establish long-term American operations on the lunar surface.
NASA's upcoming project, Fission Surface Power, will rely on microreactor technology. The initial goal is to deliver at least 100 kilowatts of electrical output, enough to power approximately 80 homes. For comparison, a single full-scale reactor in the U.S. powers over 700,000 homes.
NASA has 60 days to issue a call for industry proposals, while a new program executive will be appointed within 30 days. The reactor, expected to weigh 15 metric tons, will be delivered by a heavy-class lunar lander. However, no microreactor has been licensed or constructed in the U.S. to date.
The initiative is unfolding as the Trump administration tightens NASA's budget. The 2026 budget proposal includes $350 million for high-priority technologies, including nuclear power for space missions. That figure is projected to rise to $500 million by 2027. Meanwhile, Trump has also proposed significant overall cuts to the agency, with The Planetary Society noting it would be NASA's smallest budget since 1961.
China and Russia announced their joint lunar power ambitions in March 2024. They plan to establish a shared base powered by nuclear energy by the mid-2030s. The geopolitical implications of falling behind in this arena are clear.
"This is about winning the second space race," a senior NASA official told Politico. Trump, during his inaugural address, echoed that sentiment, pledging to plant the American flag on Mars.
