NASA Wants To Put Nuclear Reactors On The Moon

[Narrator] NASA wants to put nuclear reactors on the moon.

After the success of the Artemis II mission,

the US is moving on to its next major space race target,

to put nuclear reactors in orbit

and on the lunar surface by 2030.

To do it, NASA will work

with the Departments of Defense and Energy

following new White House guidelines

to build a space nuclear roadmap

aimed at US space superiority.

Right now, spacecraft rely on solar power,

but it's inconsistent even with the constant sunlight

and stored in heavy batteries.

Nuclear reactors, by contrast,

can generate continuous energy for years

and even power propulsion systems, making them key

for long missions and future lunar bases

where steady energy is critical.

The US plan calls for modular reactors

producing at least 20 kilowatts of electricity.

The three is in orbit and at least five years

on the lunar surface with designs

that can scale up to a hundred kilowatts of electricity.

The first designs for this project are expected

to arrive within a year, so that's why...