NASA, DOE Plan to Build Lunar Nuclear Reactor

NASA and the Department of Energy announced plans to team up to build a nuclear reactor on the moon's surface within the next four years.

In a joint push framed as part of President Donald Trump's "America First Space Policy," DOE and NASA on Tuesday said they have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) to accelerate work on a "fission surface power system" that could support long-duration lunar operations and eventually missions to Mars.

The agreement calls for development of a lunar surface reactor by 2030 as the U.S. seeks what the agencies described as American "space superiority" and leadership in exploration and commerce.

In a DOE release, Secretary Chris Wright compared the effort to past national achievements, citing the Manhattan Project and Apollo as examples of what happens when U.S. innovation is unleashed.

Wright said the partnership will work with NASA and commercial industry on what he called one of the largest technical achievements in the history of nuclear energy and space exploration.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman tied the announcement directly to Trump's national space policy, saying America is committed to returning to the moon, building infrastructure to stay, and making the investments required for "the next giant leap to Mars and beyond."

In the NASA announcement, Isaacman argued "achieving this future requires harnessing nuclear power," and said the MOU between the agencies enables closer coordination between NASA and DOE.

The practical case is simple: Solar power can't deliver reliable electricity through the moon's harsh two-week lunar night or in shadowed terrain, while a compact reactor could provide steady energy for years without refueling.

The agencies said a fission surface power system would deliver "safe, efficient, and plentiful" power, enabling sustained missions regardless of sunlight or extreme temperature swings.

NASA has already laid the groundwork through its Fission Surface Power effort, which is designed to support a future lunar economy and provide continuous power for surface operations.

NASA has also said that fission systems can provide tens of kilowatts of electricity — enough to sustain a crewed outpost's critical systems and science work.

The timing also reflects a strategic competition reality.

China and Russia have publicly discussed their own long-term lunar plans, including nuclear power concepts for a future international lunar research station, according to the South China Morning Post.

That's exactly the kind of challenge U.S. officials cite when arguing America cannot afford to fall behind in space technology.

Conservatives have long warned that anti-nuclear politics at home can become anti-innovation abroad.

The NASA-DOE agreement, by contrast, signals a federal reset by prioritizing reliable energy, American engineering, and a space posture built on strength.

It's backed by a stated goal to put nuclear power not only on the moon, but eventually in orbit as well.

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