Sean Duffy, the interim NASA administrator and Transportation Secretary, is reportedly set to announce an accelerated push to deploy a nuclear reactor on the moon—a move that would mark his most significant step since stepping into the dual role. Documents reviewed by Politico indicate this initiative sets a firm timetable for what has previously been only a topic of discussion at NASA, and signals Duffy's intent to shape the agency's future even as it braces for deep budget cuts.
The plan to fast-track a reactor that would generate at least 100 kilowatts of electrical power comes as the Trump administration prioritizes crewed space missions and proposes boosting human spaceflight funding in 2026, despite steep reductions for other NASA programs. Duffy's directive instructs NASA to solicit industry bids and appoint a project leader within 60 days, with the goal to have a reactor ready for deployment by 2030. This timeline is motivated in part by China's ambitions to put astronauts on the moon by the end of the decade.
A senior NASA official, speaking anonymously, linked the urgency to global competition, calling it a new "space race" and raising concerns about China and Russia's joint lunar activities. The directive warns that whichever country installs a reactor first might claim exclusive rights over portions of the moon—which would make further lunar developments challenging for the US, were it not to be the first country, the New York Times reports.
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Duffy also wants to speed up plans for a new, commercially operated space station to replace the aging International Space Station by 2030, aiming to keep the US from ceding orbital presence to China. The agency intends to award contracts to at least two companies within six months of opening proposals, with Axiom Space, Vast, and Blue Origin already in the mix. However, Congress has questioned whether NASA can move fast enough to meet these ambitious goals.
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