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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will reportedly announce plans this week to build a nuclear reactor on the moon, according to media reports.
NASA has had discussions about the building of a reactor on the lunar surface, but Duffy’s directive gives a more definitive timeline and expedites the process. Duffy also serves as the interim administrator of the space agency.
“Fission surface power (FSP) is both an essential and sustainable segment of the lunar and Mars power architectures for future human space exploration missions,” the directive states. “To properly advance this critical technology to be able to support a future lunar economy, high power energy generation on Mars, and to strengthen our national security in space, it is imperative the agency move quickly.”
TRUMP TAPS SEAN DUFFY TO SERVE AS INTERIM NASA CHIEF
China and Russia have announced on several occasions a joint effort to place a reactor on the moon by the mid-2030s, NASA said. If successful, that would potentially result in the declaration of a “keep-out zone,” which could inhibit the United States from establishing a presence there.
The move means that NASA will continue to have input in nuclear development, despite the Pentagon’s recent cancellation of a joint program on nuclear-powered rocket engines.
Duffy also issued another directive to quickly replace the International Space Station, a priority for NASA.
SNUB OF MUSK’S NASA NOMINEE ALLY PRECEDED SUDDEN ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ CRITICISM, TRUMP FEUD
Trump announced Duffy to serve as interim administrator of NASA in July as withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman in May.
Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut and longtime associate of Elon Musk, was nominated by Trump in December 2024 but faced mounting scrutiny over ties to Musk and SpaceX, which some officials viewed as a conflict of interest.
NASA has increasingly factored into the Trump administration’s national defense, innovation, and economic agenda.
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