U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — who also serves as interim NASA Administrator — will officially unveil expedited plans this week to build a 100‑kilowatt nuclear reactor on the Moon by .2030.The directive orders NASA to solicit proposals from private industry within 60 days, appoint a project leader (within 30 days), and aim for deployment by the end of the decade — doubling previous power targets and greatly accelerating the schedule, Politico reported.“We’re in a race to the Moon, in a race with China to the Moon… To have a base on the Moon, we need energy," said Duffy.Meanwhile, China — working closely with Russia — aims to build its own reactor-powered facility as part of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), with activity expected to begin in the early‑to‑mid 2030s, reported the Times.Senior Chinese space official Wu Weiren has hinted that Russia may supply a nuclear power system, with full human‑tended construction following robotic Chang’e missions beginning around 2028 and extending beyond 2035.The U.S. fears the first nation to activate a reactor could declare a “keep‑out zone,” effectively restricting rival nations’ operations near key lunar regions — particularly the strategically valuable south pole, believed to host water ice and nearly constant sunligh.The 100‑kW reactor would reliably power a lunar outpost during the two‑week lunar night, setting the foundation for long-term human presence and potential Mars staging.This latest maneuver underscores a new geopolitical space race: the U.S. is racing to assert technological and territorial leverage on the Moon before China and its Russian partner secure permanent footholds.By placing nuclear infrastructure at the lunar south pole, the U.S. aims to:Enable long-duration human missions and lunar base systemsEstablish de facto safety or keep‑out zones under the Artemis AccordsPreserve space leadership amid concerns that China’s Tiangong orbiting station may remain the only crewed outpost if NASA’s ISS replacement lags behind, reports the Times.
