Interim NASA Administrator and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is expected to unveil plans to fast-track the construction of a nuclear reactor on the moon, Politico reports.
According to documents obtained by the outlet, the directive calls for a 100-kilowatt reactor capable of powering life support, research, mining, and habitat systems, enough to sustain an initial lunar base of six to 12 astronauts, with room for expansion.
The U.S. is aiming for a 2030 launch, roughly coinciding with China’s projected timeline for landing its first astronaut on the lunar surface.
The directive also warns that whichever country first deploys a reactor on the moon could “declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States.”
NASA has been instructed to appoint a project leader and solicit input from the private sector within 60 days.
Duffy is also expected to issue a separate directive to accelerate the replacement of the aging International Space Station. Alongside the lunar reactor initiative, the move is intended to fast-track U.S. ambitions to reach the moon and Mars—goals China is actively pursuing as well.
