A memo released by the Trump administration lays out an ambitious plan to install a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030, aiming to strengthen the U.S. position in space, especially against China and Russia.
According to a six-page document from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, integrating nuclear energy into space missions is deemed essential for enhancing U.S. capabilities in exploration, commercial ventures, and defense.
“Using nuclear power in space could give us sustained energy, heating, and propulsion we need for a long-term presence on the Moon, Mars, and beyond,” the memo states.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed enthusiasm for the memo, emphasizing the significance of nuclear reactors for deep space exploration, particularly in the context of missions to Mars.
“It’s time for the U.S. to move forward with nuclear energy in space,” Isaacman noted.
The memo refers to a December 2025 executive order from President Trump titled “Securing U.S. Space Superiority.”
Just a few months back, the then-acting NASA Administrator had expressed the desire for the U.S. to establish a lunar nuclear reactor before China does, in a discussion on “Sean Hannity.”
In a related move, last May, China and Russia announced cooperation to develop a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2036.
The memo outlines that the White House expects multiple agencies, including the Departments of the Army and Energy, along with NASA and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to work toward placing nuclear reactors on the moon and in lunar orbit.
Specifically, the plan calls for a medium-power reactor to be positioned in lunar orbit by 2028, capable of producing 20 kilowatts of energy—roughly equivalent to what an average American household consumes.
These reactors are projected to generate power for a minimum of three years while in orbit and at least five years from the lunar surface.
This memo comes just a couple of weeks after NASA’s Artemis II mission marked the first moon flyby in over five decades, aimed at testing the Orion spacecraft’s navigational and life support systems.
Fox News Digital has reached out to NASA and the White House for further comments.
