NASA awards contracts to 3 private companies for developing nuclear reactors for lunar use

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The U.S. space agency declares contracts with 3 private companies - Lockheed Martin, WestingHouse, and IX (a joint venture between Intuitive Machines and X-Energy) - to develop solutions for nuclear reactors generating power for upcoming moon exploration missions.

Each of the mentioned entities will receive $5 million and approximately 12 months to work on developing the concept of lunar-ready nuclear reactors. Concurrently, NASA is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a nuclear energy-based power system with a 40kW capacity, capable of operating continuously for at least a decade.

In comparison, 40kW is roughly equivalent to the energy capacity of the battery system in a Nissan Leaf. However, a fission reactor is certain to operate much longer than the battery of an electric car. A continuously operating power source would be highly beneficial for astronauts and equipment in missions under the Artemis program.

According to NASA, the challenges for a fission reactor system to operate on the moon or Mars are quite similar to those for widespread solar or wind power on Earth, with the difference being that these challenges pose exponentially greater difficulties. If achieved, it would not only provide power for space exploration devices but could also bring the concept of spacecraft with nuclear-powered engines, akin to those in Star Trek, allowing humans to travel much farther.

Source: TechCrunch

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