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NASA and the US Department of Energy are now moving forward with three design concepts for a nuclear fission surface power system destined for deployment on the moon.
The concept of a lunar base has stymied NASA scientists for decades for many reasons but among them is power.
According to The New York Post, NASA hopes that the nuclear reactor can produce the power necessary to operate rovers, carry out experiments and also help to support life there.
Under the aegis of the Artemis program, NASA scientists say that the concepts for the technology will benefit future exploration and could be ready to launch as soon as the end of the 2020s.
The three contracts valued at approximately $5 million each will fund the preliminary design concepts for a 40-kilowatt class nuclear fission power system to be rated for at least a 10-year lifespan in the harsh lunar environment according to NASA.
For comparison, 40 kilowatts is about enough to run 30 average American homes for about ten years.
In partnership w/ @ENERGY, we’re testing our #kilopower project to see if fission power systems could provide energy for planetary surface missions. Join us TODAY at 12:10pm ET as experts discuss this #NASAtech: https://t.co/JQWKviDmYe. Got Q’s? #askNASA pic.twitter.com/fFxCjFSr1b
— NASA Technology (@NASA_Technology) January 18, 2018
“The Fission Surface Power project is a very achievable first step toward the United States establishing nuclear power on the Moon,” Idaho National Laboratory Director John Wagner said according to the Post. “I look forward to seeing what each of these teams will accomplish.”
“Plentiful energy will be key to future space exploration,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) in Washington. “I expect fission surface power systems to greatly benefit our plans for power architectures for the Moon and Mars and even drive innovation for uses here on Earth.”
The nuclear power solution is relatively small, lightweight and practical compared to the massive, delicate and sensitive option of solar arrays. Fission systems are well-developed over the decades and well-understood. They provide continuous power for a set period of time, based on available fuel, without concerns like location, sun-exposure, and other environmental conditions like dust contamination.
“Developing these early designs will help us lay the groundwork for powering our long-term human presence on other worlds,” Reuter added.
