The United States, China and Russia are racing to develop nuclear reactors for the Moon as they prepare for future space exploration. The countries believe nuclear power will be important for building permanent lunar bases, exploring resources and supporting missions deeper into space.
The US aims to launch a lunar nuclear reactor by 2030, while Russia and China are working towards a joint project by 2036. The plans could power future Moon bases but have also raised safety concerns.
The race has also raised questions about access to the Moon and its resources. However, questions remain over whether countries can restrict access to areas around their lunar bases and whether they can own the resources they extract from the Moon. NASA accelerated its plans amid fears that a nuclear reactor built by China and Russia could establish a restricted zone on the Moon, limiting where American astronauts and rovers could travel. Space law experts have questioned whether such zones, even if created for safety reasons, would conflict with the principle of free access to space under the Outer Space Treaty.
The agency aims to have the reactor ready for launch by December 2030. NASA’s proposed Lunar Reactor 1 is expected to generate 20 kilowatts of electricity and operate for five years without intervention, according to the report. Russia’s Selena reactor is designed to generate up to 10 kilowatts and run autonomously for a decade. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty states that no country can claim the Moon as its territory.
NASA in August asked contractors to prepare a nuclear reactor that can survive a space journey and operate without maintenance near the Moon’s south pole, according to The New York Times .
