Putting a nuclear reactor on the Moon may sound like something out of a Cold War thriller from the 1960s, but it may one day be the only option to keep the humans on the Moon alive.
As part of the Artemis mission to return people to the Moon and possibly Mars, NASA has issued a request for proposals for a “fission surface power system.”
Astronauts will eventually stay up to two months on the Moon, which will serve as a launching pad for trips further into the solar system, according to NASA’s plans.
Because a lunar night might last up to 14 days, solar power is an inconsistent source of energy for a busy Moon colony.
