Nasa to put N reactor on Moon by 2030

NEW YORK, Aug 05 (BBC): US space agency Nasa will fast-track plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030, according to US media. It is part of US ambitions to build a permanent base for humans to live on the lunar surface.

According to Politico, the acting head of Nasa referred to similar plans by China and Russia and said those two countries "could potentially declare a keep-out zone" on the Moon.

But questions remain about how realistic the goal and timeframe are, given recent and steep Nasa budget cuts, and some scientists are concerned that the plans are driven by geopolitical goals.

Nations including US, China, Russia, India and Japan are rushing to explore the Moon's surface, with some planning permanent human settlements.

"To properly advance this critical technology to be able to support a future lunar economy, high power energy generation on Mars, and to strengthen our national security in space, it is imperative the agency move quickly," US transport secretary Sean Duffy, who was appointed temporary head of Nasa by President Donald Trump, wrote to Nasa, according to the New York Times.

Mr Duffy called for proposals from commercial companies to build a reactor that could generate at least 100 kilowatts of power.