NASA for the construction of a nuclear reactor on the moon until 2030.

NASA’s US space agency will quickly plan to build a nuclear reactor on the moon until 2030, according to US media.

This is part of the American ambitions to build a permanent base for people to live on the moon’s surface.

According to Politico, the acting head of NASA refers to similar plans from China and Russia and said that these two countries “can potentially declare a detention zone” on the moon.

But there are questions about how realistic the goal and the deadline are, given the recent and steep redundancies of NASA’s budget, and some scientists are concerned that plans are guided by geopolitical purposes.

Nations, including the United States, China, Russia, India and Japan, are in a hurry to explore the surface of the moon, with some permanent human settlements.

“In order to properly develop this critical technology, in order to support a future lunar economy, the generation of high energy of Mars and to strengthen its national security in space, it is imperative to move quickly to the agency,” writes to US Transfi York Times.

Duffy called for proposals from trading companies to build a reactor that can generate at least 100 kilowatts of power.

This is relatively small. The typical wind turbine on the shore generates 2-3 megawatts.

The idea of building a nuclear reactor as a source of energy on the moon is not new.

In 2022, NASA issued three contracts for $ 5 million to reactor design companies.

And in May this year, China and Russia announced that they were planning to build an automated nuclear power plant on the moon until 2035.

Many scientists agree that this would be the best, or perhaps just a way to ensure continuous power on the moon’s surface.

One lunar day is equivalent to four weeks on Earth, composed of two weeks of continuous sun and two weeks of darkness. This makes the relying on solar energy very challenging.

“The construction of even a modest lunar habitat to accommodate a small crew, would request electricity production in megawatts. Only the solar massifs and batteries cannot reliably meet these demands,” proposes Dr. Sungwood Lim, Senior Lecturer in Space Applications, Studies and Instruments at the University of Suri,

“Nuclear energy is not only desired, but inevitable,” he adds.

Lionel Wilson, a professor of earthly and planetary sciences at Lancaster University, believes that it is technically possible to put the reactors on the moon by 2030 “Given the commitment to enough money” and he stresses that he already has design for small reactors.

“It’s just a matter of enough artemis launch to build the moon’s infrastructure until then,” he adds, citing NASA’s space flight program that aims to send people and equipment to the moon.

There are also some questions about safety.

“The launch of radioactive materials through the Earth’s atmosphere brings concerns about safety. You must have a special license for this, but it is not overwhelming,” says Dr. Simeon Barber, a planetary science specialist at the Open University.

The Dufy Directive came as a surprise after the last turmoil in NASA after the administration of G -N Trump announced redundancies from 24% to NASA’s budgets in 2026.

This includes abbreviations of a significant number of scientific programs, such as the Mars sample, which aims to return samples from the surface of the planet to Earth.

Scientists are also concerned that this message is a politically motivated move in the new international race to the moon.

“It seems that we are returning to the old days of a first space race race, which are scientifically a little disappointing and concerned,” says Dr. Barber.

“Competition can create innovation, but if there is a more focus on national interest and property establishment, then you can lose sight of the bigger picture that explores the solar system and outside,” he adds.

Mr. Duffy’s comments on China and Russia’s potential to potentially “announce a moon’s detention zone” seem to refer to an agreement called Artemis Accords.

In 2020, seven nations signed the agreement to establish principles on how countries should cooperate on the surface of the moon.

The agreements include the so -called safety areas, which must be established around operations and assets that are upgrading to the moon.

“If you build a nuclear reactor or any type of moon base, then you can start claiming that you have a safety zone around it because you have equipment there,” says Dr Barber.

“For some people, this is tantamount to” we own this part of the moon, we will work here and you cannot enter, “he explains.

Dr. Barber points out that there are obstacles to overcome before the nuclear reactor is inserted to the moon to use people.

NASA Artemis 3 aims to send people to the moon’s surface in 2027, but it faces a series of returns and uncertainty about funding.

“If you have nuclear energy for a base but you can’t get people and equipment there, then it’s not much benefit,” he added.

“Plans don’t look very much at the moment,” he said.