NASA is concluding the initial phase of its Fission Surface Power Project, which aims to develop concept designs for a compact, electricity-generating nuclear fission reactor for potential use on the moon.
The Fission Surface Power Project of NASA
The Fission Surface Power Project is part of NASA's broader efforts to establish safe, clean, and reliable energy sources for lunar exploration, particularly crucial due to the extended duration of lunar nights, which last approximately 14.5 Earth days.
The project awarded three $5 million contracts in 2022 to commercial partners, each tasked with creating an initial design encompassing the reactor, power conversion, heat rejection, power management and distribution systems, estimated costs, and a development schedule.
The goal is to support a sustained human presence on the lunar surface for at least a decade, aligning with NASA's Artemis program for lunar exploration.
Trudy Kortes, the program director of Technology Demonstration Missions at NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, emphasized the need to demonstrate a nuclear power source's safety, cleanliness, and reliability on the moon.
Nuclear Power on the Moon
With its technical complexities, the challenging lunar night highlights the importance of a power source like a nuclear reactor that operates independently of the Sun.
While solar power systems encounter limitations on the moon, the potential placement of a nuclear reactor in perpetually shadowed regions, potentially near water ice, presents an alternative for providing continuous power during prolonged lunar nights.
NASA intentionally maintained flexibility and openness in the requirements for the initial reactor, aiming to stimulate inventive approaches from its commercial partners.
The established criteria outlined the reactor's weight remaining below six metric tons and its capacity to generate 40 kilowatts (kW) of electrical power.
This power output proves sufficient for demonstration purposes and can sustain lunar habitats, rovers, backup grids, or scientific experiments.
Furthermore, NASA established a pivotal objective for the reactor to operate autonomously for a decade, underscoring the significance of safety considerations such as radiation dose and shielding.
Phases 1 and 2
After completing Phase 1, NASA plans to extend the three contracts to gather more information before Phase 2, when the industry will be invited to design the final reactor for a lunar demonstration.
NASA said this additional knowledge will help the agency set the Phase 2 requirements. The open solicitation for Phase 2 is scheduled for 2025.
Beyond the reactor development, NASA has recently awarded contracts to Rolls Royce North American Technologies, Brayton Energy, and General Electric to develop Brayton power converters.
These converters will play a crucial role in converting thermal power produced during nuclear fission into electricity. NASA has challenged these companies to enhance the efficiency of Brayton converters, aiming to minimize heat wastage and optimize power conversion.
The target date for delivering a reactor to the launch pad is set for the early 2030s, with the moon serving as a testing ground for potential future applications on Mars.
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