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NASA Plans 20-Kilowatt Lunar Nuclear Reactor by 2030

By Drooid · Oct 31, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

NASA announced a 20-kilowatt lunar nuclear reactor to be ready by the end of 2030.
Russia and China plan the Selena reactor, delivering 10 kilowatts, for launch around 2036.
NASA’s reactor will weigh under 6,000 kg and run five years without maintenance.
Selena will weigh 1,100-1,300 kg and operate unattended for a decade, powering a Chinese-led base.
Both nations will keep reactors off the lunar surface until touchdown to reduce radioactive risk.

History

On 3 April 1965 NASA launched SNAP-10A, the United States’ only space-borne fission reactor, delivering 500 watts for 43 days before a command-receiver failure shut it down. Developed by Atomics International under the AEC’s SNAP program, it proved compact nuclear power feasible, a legacy echoed today by NASA’s 20-kilowatt lunar reactor and the 10-kilowatt Sino-Russian Selena project.

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On 3 April 1965 NASA launched SNAP-10A, the United States’ only space-borne fission reactor, delivering 500 watts for 43 days before a command-receiver failure shut it down. Developed by Atomics International under the AEC’s SNAP program, it proved compact nuclear power feasible, a legacy echoed today by NASA’s 20-kilowatt lunar reactor and the 10-kilowatt Sino-Russian Selena project.

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