NASA develops nuclear reactor on the Moon

NASA is working to design an abundant and sustainable supply of electricity on the Moon by means of fusion.

NASA is working with the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory to establish an energy source independent of the Sun during missions to the Moon later this decade. "Delivering a reliable high-power system on the Moon is the next important step in space exploration, and that goal is within our reach," said Sebastian Corbisiero, head of the Thermal Power Project surface ganglia, said.

Idaho National Laboratory. (Photo: Idaho Falls Magazine)

If the project is successful in supporting humans to live on the Moon, the next target is Mars. NASA says surface fusion electric power can provide an abundant and sustainable source of electricity regardless of environmental conditions on the Moon or Mars. "I hope the surface power system will greatly benefit the plan to power structures on the Moon and Mars, and even boost demand on Earth," said Jim Reuter, deputy director. NASA's Space Technology Mission Steering Committee, shared.

The reactor will be built on Earth and then sent to the Moon. The plan for a surface fusion power system includes a uranium fuel reactor core, a system to convert nuclear energy into usable electricity, a heat management system to cool the reactor, and a distribution system. provide at least 40 kilowatts of electricity continuously for 10 years in the lunar environment.

Some of the other requirements include the ability to turn off on its own without human intervention, operate from the floor of the lunar lander, disassemble and run on a mobile system to move to another location. In addition, when launching from Earth to the Moon, the system needs to fit inside a cylindrical cavity with a diameter of 4m and a length of 6m. The system should not weigh more than 6,000kg. The initial design will be completed by February 19, 2022.

Idaho National Laboratory has partnered with NASA on many projects in the past. Most recently, the lab developed a radioisotope power generation system for NASA's Perseverance rover. The system converts heat generated by the natural decay of the isotope plutonium-238 into usable electricity. The car-sized Perseverance robot landed on Mars in February this year and is still working.