Electricity on the Moon: NASA begins adopting proposals for building a nuclear energy system on the moon by 2030 | The Weather Channel – Article by The Weather Channel

Artistic concept of a new fission energy system on the lunar surface.

(NASA)

Electricity has revolutionized the world like nothing ever before, and it is impossible for mankind to imagine life without it. What if we could generate electricity in space? Can it revolutionize space travel?

The US space agency NASA has now announced its decision to bring a “permanent, sun-independent high-performance nuclear fission reactor” to the moon, positively before 2030. So what if you happened to have drafted blueprints for a portable one? Fission power plant, this is your time to shine. The only condition is that NASA should be able to get it to the moon in a rocket 12 feet long by 6 feet wide!

NASA is partnering with the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to invest in this multi-billion dollar project. And while humanity will visit the moon after a nearly 50-year hiatus over the Artemis mission, it could be said that this is still an incredibly bold statement considering the groups’ plan to get this working , a gray area remains.

On November 19, the INL issued a statement saying they are “seeking industrial partners to develop nuclear power systems for lunar applications”. The request for reactor designs on behalf of NASA and a contractor of the DOE is open until February 19, 2022.

Why a nuclear power plant of all places?

The US is hoping to have its first long-term presence on the moon in the near future. To be successful, you will most likely need a power source. Wind or hydropower sources are impossible due to the lack of wind and water on the moon. Fossil fuels are also far fetched because they would be expensive to ship to the moon.

In comparison, solar power is much more plausible, but again, it could probably only provide energy for the few hours when the panels are exposed to sunlight.

So there is only nuclear power left.

“A lot of energy will be the key to future space exploration. I expect the fission energy systems will greatly benefit our energy architecture plans for the Moon and Mars, and even drive innovations for applications here on Earth, “said Jim Reuter, assistant administrator of NASA’s Space Technology Mission.

The particularities

And NASA plans to use specially designed small modular reactors (SMRs) to provide constant energy in any environment, just like on the ground. However, the devices must be constructed in such a way that they can withstand the most adverse environmental conditions.

According to the press release, the planned reactor must be a uranium-powered fission reactor that can split heavy atomic nuclei into lighter nuclei, releasing energy as a by-product. The reactor must weigh no more than 6,000 kilograms and be small enough to fit inside the rocket (12 feet long and 18 feet wide).

The reactor will be built on earth and then transported to the moon, where it will have to generate 40 kilowatts of continuous electricity for ten years. The reactor must also contain temperature controls to keep the device cool. After all, it must have the structural integrity to withstand its take-off from Earth and landing on the moon.

The bigger picture

It would be reasonable to question NASA’s decision to embark on this decade-long project, especially given that the US will be spending billions of dollars on it.

According to reports, scientists from the Beijing Urgeology Research Institute conducted rather peculiar experiments on samples of lunar rocks. And the tests showed that the superpower was likely trying to build a nuclear power plant on the moon.

If so, it certainly explains why the US wants to have a head start on such a lucrative expedition.

Anyway, whatever the motive, if NASA pulled this off, it would be incredible and it would mean we could bring more such technology to the Red Planet.

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