[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…