Advocates Push NASA to Continue Development of Nuclear Power Systems for Lunar Exploration
CLEVELAND — With fiscal challenges and competing priorities, advocates for nuclear power systems in lunar exploration are urging NASA to find ways to continue development. The call comes as NASA selected three teams in June 2022 for phase 1 studies of fission surface power systems, which are small nuclear reactors designed to support later phases of the Artemis lunar exploration campaign. Each team received $5 million for initial design studies.
The primary focus of these studies is to design a 40-kilowatt reactor that weighs no more than six metric tons and can operate for 10 years. NASA also requires the use of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to address nuclear non-proliferation concerns. Lindsay Kaldon, Fission Surface Power (FSP) program manager at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, highlighted that few other requirements were levied on the companies, allowing for innovative and out-of-the-box thinking.
The FSP program plans a second phase to turn one of the designs into flight-certified hardware. However, NASA has not yet set a date for releasing a request for proposals for that second phase. Concerns arise due to the uncertainty surrounding the schedule for the next phase, with some industry experts worried that external factors, such as a divided Congress, may hinder NASA’s progress. Vince Bilardo, an industry consultant supporting the IX team, expressed concerns about challenges in securing funding for the program’s second phase. He estimated the phase could cost up to a billion dollars over four to eight years.
Bilardo recommended that NASA find ways to extend the phase one contracts to minimize any gaps between the current work and the phase two competition. He also emphasized the importance of funding work on enabling technologies for fission power systems, as those technologies will be utilized in almost any design. Additionally, he highlighted potential synergies between fission surface power and designs for nuclear propulsion.
Despite the challenges, advocates of FSP believe that these technologies are essential for long-term lunar exploration, especially due to the two-week lunar night. They argue that astronauts need more activities during this period in order to sustain long stays on the moon.
As NASA navigates the fiscal challenges and competing priorities, the future of nuclear power systems in lunar exploration remains uncertain. However, proponents continue to emphasize the importance of continued development and the potential benefits it holds for long-term lunar missions.