NASA's Fission surface power systems could provide reliable power on Moon

NASA plans a sustained presence on the Moon under the Artemis campaign and eventually Mars, which requires safe and reliable energy. The agency's fission surface power project aims to provide abundant and continuous power regardless of environmental conditions on both the Moon and Mars.

On Wednesday, the agency announced that it is wrapping up the initial phase of this project focused on developing concept designs for a small, electricity-generating nuclear fission reactor that could be used during a future demonstration on the Moon, and then Mars.

In 2022, NASA awarded three contracts, each worth $5 million, tasking each commercial partner with developing an initial design that included the reactor; its power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution systems; estimated costs; and a development schedule that could pave the way for powering a sustained human presence for at least 10 years in the lunar environment.

The reactor will be able to produce 40 kilowatts (kW) of electrical power, ensuring enough for demonstration purposes and additional power available for running lunar habitats, rovers, backup grids, or science experiments.

The fission power system is expected to operate on the Moon by the early 2030s.

"A demonstration of a nuclear power source on the Moon is required to show that it is a safe, clean, reliable option. The lunar night is challenging from a technical perspective, so having a source of power such as this nuclear reactor, which operates independent of the Sun, is an enabling option for long-term exploration and science efforts on the Moon," said Trudy Kortes, program director, Technology Demonstration Missions within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

According to NASA, a nuclear reactor could be placed in permanently shadowed areas of the Moon rich, where water ice is present, or generate power continuously during lunar nights.

The reactor will complete a one-year demonstration followed by nine operational years on the lunar surface. Should the demonstration be successful, the reactor design may be updated for potential use on Mars.