NASA Announces Artemis Concept Awards for Nuclear Power on Moon

In another innovation-driven development for the advanced nuclear energy sector, NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are teaming up to advance space-based nuclear technologies with three design concept proposals for a fission surface power system design that could be ready to launch in approximately 5 years. These technologies would support future exploration under NASA’s Artemis program. 

The contracts for initial design concepts for a 40-killowatt class fission power system will be managed through the DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory, each valued at approximately $5 million. Awardees included:  

• Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Maryland – The company will partner with BWXT and Creare. 

• Westinghouse of Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania – The company will partner with Aerojet Rocketdyne. 

• IX of Houston, Texas, a joint venture of Intuitive Machines and X-Energy – The company will partner with Maxar and Boeing. 

Smaller and lighter when compared to other power systems, NASA selected fission systems as resilient and capable of continuous power regardless of location, available sunlight, and other natural environmental conditions. The reactor demonstration project will pave the way for longer-duration missions on the Moon and Mars. 

Read the full announcement of awards at: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-announces-artemis-concept-awards-for-nuclear-power-on-moon/