NASA, US Energy Department Plan Nuclear Reactor on Moon by 2030

NASA, US Energy Department Plan Nuclear Reactor on Moon by 2030

NASA and the US Department of Energy have formally agreed to work together on deploying a nuclear reactor on the Moon by the end of the decade, marking a major step in America’s plans for sustained lunar exploration.

The two agencies announced Tuesday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and launch a lunar surface nuclear reactor by 2030. The move follows President Donald Trump’s executive order issued on December 18, 2025, titled Ensuring American Space Superiority, which directs federal agencies to prepare a nuclear power system for use on the Moon within this decade.

The proposed system will rely on fission surface power technology, designed to provide a steady and reliable source of electricity for long-duration missions. Unlike solar power, the reactor would operate independently of sunlight and extreme temperature swings, both of which pose major challenges on the lunar surface.

“Under President Trump’s national space policy, America is committed to returning to the Moon, building the infrastructure to stay, and making the investments required for the next giant leap to Mars and beyond,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. He added that nuclear energy will be essential to meeting those goals, calling the agreement a key step toward closer coordination between NASA and the Energy Department.

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According to officials, the reactor is intended to support future human habitats, scientific research and industrial activity on the Moon, where continuous power will be critical for survival and operations during the long lunar night.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright framed the project as part of a broader tradition of American technological leadership. “History shows that when American science and innovation come together, from the Manhattan Project to the Apollo missions, our nation leads the world to frontiers once thought unreachable,” Wright said.

A Growing Lunar Power Race

The United States is not alone in pursuing nuclear energy beyond Earth. China and Russia announced last year that they are planning an automated power station on the Moon as part of their own long-term exploration strategy.

Russia’s state space agency, Roscosmos, said it aims to complete construction of a lunar power facility by 2036 and has signed a contract with aerospace firm Lavochkin Association to advance the project. While Moscow has not explicitly confirmed the plant will be nuclear, Roscosmos noted that partners include Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, and the Kurchatov Institute, its leading nuclear research center.

“The project is an important step toward creating a permanently functioning scientific lunar station and moving from one-off missions to a long-term exploration program,” Roscosmos said at the time.

With multiple space powers now racing to establish lasting footholds on the Moon, US officials see nuclear power as a strategic advantage—one that could shape the next era of space exploration and determine who leads beyond Earth’s orbit.