“There are policy certainty now that we didn’t have before,” she added. “The last but not least is that the private sector is interested not only in using space nuclear power, but even in providing space nuclear power.” Startups such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin and established aerospace companies are looking into the use of nuclear power in space. “There are a lot of puzzles that blend together in a great way that we can actually move.”
NASA’s Artemis plan should lay the foundation for Lunar South Pole’s permanent base and Pioneer Technology’s permanent base, although its future is uncertain. In any case, in exotic environments like the moon, the energy demands of any crew mission, the lasting two weeks of night, the temperature fluctuates dramatically, requiring stable and abundant power.
“Moon’s gravity and heat swing are cruel,” Lar said. “The temperature during the day is about 100 degrees Celsius. It is close to absolute zero at night. All electronic devices must be radiated hardened. Although, honestly, the biggest risk is not technical. The biggest risk is to maintain this momentum and mission goal.”
Entering China, this is also planned to be a lunar base in Antarctica. The region is rich in resources and water ice, which makes it an attractive for exploration and potentially permanent existence, while China is in conversation with Russia to build reactors there by 2035. These developments have led the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Energy to push officials to participate in the competition.
“This can be done because when we have strong opponents, we’re doing well in the United States and it’s been 40 years,” said Mohamed El-Genk, professor of nuclear engineering and founding director of the University of New Mexico’s School of Nuclear Engineering and the Institute of Nuclear Power. “But there are a lot of things to solve, a lot of things to solve.”
How will this all work?
Duffy’s instructions have little detail on the design or scale of the reactors planned, and there are speculations about what concepts might emerge in the coming months.
“To further advance U.S. competition and lunar surface leadership in the Artemis movement, NASA is rapidly evolving to improve the development of fission surface electricity,” Bethany Stevens, press secretary at NASA headquarters, said in an email to WIRER. “This critical technology will support lunar exploration, provide high-power energy generation for Mars, and strengthen our national security in space. In its efforts to promote development, NASA will designate a new program executive to manage the effort and make recommendations to the industry within 60 days. NASA will release additional details about the recommendation in the future.”
The directive echoes the discovery of a latest report on space nuclear power co-authored by LAL and aerospace engineer Roger Myers, including the “Go Big or Go Home” option to build a 100 kW reactor on the moon by 2030.
This 100-kilowatt design is roughly equivalent to sending several adult African elephants to the moon. The elephants generate heat except for the size of the basketball court, and the umbrella is not used for shadows, it is intended to dump heat into space. ”
