Under its Artemis program, NASA is going to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by the year 2030, this is after China reportedly announced in April 2025 that it would build a nuclear power plant on the Moon by the year 2035.
- NASA has unveiled a plan under its Artemis program to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by the year 2030, with the aim of bringing humans back to the lunar surface and establishing a sustainable presence.
- In April 2025, China reportedly unveiled a plan to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon by the year 2035. This plant will support its planned International Lunar Research Station.
Outer Space Treaty
- The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 regulates space activities and ensures peaceful use and cooperation among nations. The first space race was about flags and footprints.
- Now, decades later, landing on the Moon has become old news. The new race is to build there, and doing so depends on power.
Small reactors
- NASA has been quietly working for years with the Department of Energy to develop small nuclear power systems. The plan is to install a small modular nuclear reactor capable of generating at least 100 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power about 80 homes on Earth.
South Pole
- The Moon’s South Pole is of particular interest because of its abundant water-ice reserves, which are essential for life support and fuel production. However, these craters remain permanently shadowed, receiving little to no sunlight, making solar energy impractical.
- This nuclear reactor will enable operations in these challenging environments, supporting scientific research, mining activities, and habitat life-support systems.
Previous plan
- Nuclear power in space is not a new idea. Since the 1960s, the United States and the Soviet Union have relied on radioisotope generators, which use small amounts of radioactive elements, a type of nuclear fuel, to power satellites, Mars rovers, and the Voyager probes.
- The United Nations’ 1992 Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space, a non-binding resolution, recognizes that nuclear power may be necessary for missions where solar energy is inadequate. This resolution sets guidelines for safety, transparency, and international consultation.
Artemis Mission
- The Artemis Mission (Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of Moon's Interaction with the Sun: ARTEMIS) is the second mission launched by the American space agency NASA to land astronauts on the Moon.
- It should be noted that in 1969 NASA’s “Apollo Mission” (Apollo 11) was the first human mission to land on the lunar surface. On 21 June 2023, India signed the Artemis Accords, becoming the 27th signatory country.
- The Artemis Mission is also being called NASA’s back-to-the-Moon program. This “lunar exploration program” was named by NASA after the Greek god Apollo’s twin sister and the goddess of the Moon “Artemis.”
- The first mission of this program is Artemis-1. It is an unmanned test. After its success, the Artemis-2 mission will be launched, which will take astronauts to lunar orbit and return; this too is a test phase. Finally, Artemis-3 will land humans on the lunar surface.
- Along with NASA, space agencies of other countries – Canada, Europe, and Japan – are also included in this mission.
NASA
- NASA was established on 29 July 1958 under the National Aeronautics and Space Act. NASA replaced the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which was established in 1915.
- In response to the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union in 1957, NASA was formed to promote the American space program. NASA Headquarters in Washington, led by the Administrator, provides overall guidance and direction to the agency.
