NASA reveals plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon
According to scientific reports, NASA, in cooperation with the US Energy Administration, has announced the selection of 3 design concepts for the lunar nuclear power system. It is expected that these 3 proposals will be ready for launch on the moon for a practical demonstration by the end of this year.
If any of them succeed, this nuclear power facility could be very useful for future space exploration efforts under the umbrella of the NASA-led Artemis spaceflight program, whose main goal is to facilitate the return of humans to the Moon, with several short-term goals to reach the South Pole. to the moon by 2025.
The long-term goals of this space program include establishing a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface, which will be a reliable source of energy, as well as laying the groundwork for the extraction of lunar resources and launching space missions in the solar system.
The reports quoted statements attributed to Jim Reuter, associate director of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, who said that new technology is driving our exploration of the moon, Mars and beyond, noting that the development of these early designs will help lay the foundation for enhancing the long-term human presence in other worlds.
John Wagner, director of the Idaho National Laboratory, added that the surface fission power project is a very achievable first step toward creating nuclear power on the Moon, and he looks forward to what each of these teams will accomplish.
And NASA indicated that the 3 winners of the Concept Awards will be awarded 12-month contracts worth $5 million, through the Idaho National Laboratory of the US Energy Administration, explaining that awarding these contracts will provide important information from the industry, which can pave the way for the development of a system Fission power fully certified for aviation.
They will have to develop designs with the goal of providing a 40-kilowatt nuclear fission power system, which is enough to power 30 homes, can operate for at least 10 years in the lunar environment, and withstand the rigors of space-based missile transportation.
The US space agency called for proposals for each design to be able to contain a cylinder that is 19.6 feet long and has a diameter of 13.1 feet in its stored configuration and weighs less than 5.9 tons.
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The reports pointed out that these modern technologies will also help NASA develop what is known as nuclear propulsion systems, which rely on reactors to generate energy, as they can be used in deep space exploration missions.
She added that the Surface Fission Energy Project is being managed by NASA from the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, while funding comes from the Technology Demonstration Missions Program of the Space Technology Mission Directorate.