NASA plans to establish a continuous lunar presence by 2030 with a nuclear reactor, crucial for powering habitats and operations during long lunar nights. This initiative supports the Artemis program and addresses the limitations of solar power in shadowed regions.

Nuclear reactors on the moon work in much the same way as reactors on Earth, according to Bhavya Lal, a former associate administrator for technology, policy and strategy at NASA. A controlled nuclear reaction in uranium fuel is used to generate heat that in turn can be used to make electricity.

NASA has set a 2030 deadline to build a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor on the moon. It’s an ambitious but potentially achievable goal that could transform space exploration, experts tell WIRED.