Why NASA wants to put a nuclear power plant on the moon

[Mary Wilson]

PUBLISHED SUN, NOV 15 2020 10:00 AM EST
Daniel Bukszpan

KEY POINTS

• NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy will seek proposals from industry to build nuclear power plants on the moon and Mars to support its long-term exploration plans.
• The goal is to have a flight system, lander and reactor in place by 2026.
• The facility will be fully manufactured and assembled on Earth, and tested for safety.
• The nuclear power plants will provide enough electrical power to establish an outpost on the moon or Mars.

... Fission surface power is necessary in places where solar power, wind power, and hydro power are not readily available.
Anthony Calomino
NASA’S NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO LEAD WITHIN THE SPACE TECHNOLOGY MISSION DIRECTORATE

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