The Trump administration is accelerating plans to deploy nuclear power in space, issuing new guidance after the Artemis II lunar mission to push reactors into orbit and onto the moon within the next decade.
Officials say the effort aims to secure U.S. leadership in a renewed space race with China. Additionally, the plan supports long-term goals for permanent lunar bases and eventual missions to Mars.
The guidance directs multiple federal agencies to begin coordinated work on space-based nuclear systems. Specifically, it tasks NASA, the Departments of Energy and Defense, and the White House science office. Moreover, the administration wants initial reactors operating in orbit as early as 2028. It also targets a lunar deployment by 2030 under existing executive direction.
NASA leadership framed the move as overdue. The agency’s administrator said the United States must begin serious work on nuclear power in space. Nuclear energy plays a key role in sustaining human activity beyond Earth. On the moon, solar power cannot provide continuous energy due to long nights.
A single lunar night lasts about 14.5 Earth days. Consequently, solar panels alone cannot support habitats, research systems, or industrial activity. Nuclear reactors, however, can generate steady power regardless of sunlight. Additionally, engineers can place them in permanently shadowed regions for consistent operation.
The plan calls for design competitions to develop low- to mid-power reactors. Furthermore, agencies will prepare for higher-capacity systems later in the next decade. Within 30 days, NASA must launch a program focused on fission surface power systems. These reactors aim to deliver at least 40 kilowatts of continuous electricity.
Read more: Canada invests CAD$625K to expand Saskatchewan nuclear supply chain
Read more: Constellation pushes regulators to speed nuclear restart tied to data centre demand
Defense officials will also play a role in shaping mission requirements
That level of output could support small lunar bases. In addition, it would power life-support systems, communications, and scientific equipment. The guidance also pushes development of nuclear electric propulsion technology. This system uses reactor-generated electricity to propel spacecraft more efficiently.
Such propulsion could shorten travel times to Mars. Consequently, it represents a major step toward deep-space exploration.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy must assess the industry’s readiness within 60 days. The review will examine whether companies can produce up to four space reactors within five years. That assessment includes reactor design, fuel availability, and supply chain capacity. Additionally, it will identify gaps that could delay production timelines.
The White House science office must deliver a roadmap within 90 days. This plan will outline technical and regulatory barriers to deployment.
Defense officials will also play a role in shaping mission requirements. Furthermore, national security considerations remain tied to space infrastructure development. The guidance includes a longer-term goal for a mid-power reactor operating in space by 2031. However, that objective depends on funding availability.
Nuclear power in space is not a new concept. The United States has used nuclear systems in satellites since the 1960s.
Additionally, NASA and the Department of Energy demonstrated a small reactor system in 2018. That test validated key technologies needed for future missions. Despite that progress, some experts question the timeline. One analyst argued last year that the plan lacks realistic funding and scheduling assumptions.
He suggested a lunar reactor could take up to 20 years to develop. However, others disagree with that estimate. A former NASA official recently said a reactor by 2030 is achievable. She estimated the cost at roughly USD$3 billion.
