NASA Unveils World’s First Nuclear Reactor on the Moon—What It Means for Future Lunar Bases

Subhead: Why Lunar Nuclear Power Matters The Artemis program’s long-term goal of establishing a permanently crewed base camp at the lunar south pole depends on round-the-clock electricity—something solar arrays alone cannot guarantee during the Moon’s 14-day night. A compact fission surface power (FSP) reactor can provide a steady 40 kW of electrical output, enough to run habitat life-support systems, science payloads, rovers, and ISRU oxygen extractors without interruption. Subhead: NASA & DOE Wrap Up Phase 1 Designs NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy have confirmed that three industry teams—Lockheed Martin with BWXT, Westinghouse with Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Intuitive Machines with X-Energy—have delivered their initial reactor concepts on schedule, closing Phase 1 of the FSP project in mid-2025. Each design keeps total mass under six metric tons, fits inside a lunar lander, and uses low-enriched HALEU fuel to streamline licensing and launch safety. Subhead: What Comes Next—Prototype by 2027, Flight Hardware by 2030 • 2025-26: Down-selection to a single prime contractor and authority to proceed with a full-scale engineering demo at Idaho National Laboratory’s space test complex. • 2027-28: Thermal vacuum trials that simulate two week lunar nights and micrometeoroid impacts. • 2029-30: Integration with a commercial lander for launch on an SLS or heavy-lift alternative under Artemis VII. Meeting this schedule would let NASA power its proposed Lunar Terrain Vehicle and ice-mining drills before the end of the decade, a milestone viewed as essential for future Mars expeditions. Subhead: Commercial & Geopolitical Stakes Beyond NASA’s use case, micro-reactor vendors see an $8-billion dual-use market for remote bases, disaster relief, and cislunar telecom relays. Meanwhile, the China National Space Administration has outlined a parallel plan to install a 1-MW lunar device in the early 2030s, framing lunar fission as the next strategic high ground. National security analysts note that whoever demonstrates reliable surface power first will shape international standards for off-planet nuclear safety. Subhead: Environmental and Safety Safeguards All three U.S. concepts rely on sealed uranium-nitride fuel rods designed to remain sub-critical during launch accidents. Once on the surface, passive sodium-potassium coolant loops and Stirling generators convert heat to electricity without moving parts, limiting maintenance needs for at least ten years. The reactor is then slated to be buried in-situ, eliminating the cost and risk of a powered return to Earth. Subhead: Westinghouse “Peltier” Microreactor Advances In parallel with the FSP race, Westinghouse has secured fresh DOE funding to finish its 25-kW “Peltier” space microreactor, a technology pathfinder that could fly as early as 2028 and de-risk the larger 40-kW lunar unit. Key Takeaway With Phase 1 complete and prototype testing on the horizon, the Moon is set to host humanity’s first off-world nuclear power plant before the decade closes—unlocking continuous science, industry, and ultimately a sustainable foothold for deep-space exploration.