Superpowers race to put nuclear reactors on the Moon

scienceOct 4, 202653228

The New York Times reports that the United States is racing to deploy a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030 while a Russia China partnership is pursuing its own lunar reactor with a target around 2036. Both sides say reactors would supply steady power for lunar bases, mineral extraction and possibly deep space operations, and NASA has accelerated its schedule in part to beat rivals. Scientists and safety experts quoted in the reporting warn of serious risks, including scenarios in which a reactor falling back to Earth could interact with water and become more likely to go critical. Advocates note that small reactors and microreactor technology have precedent in naval use and could solve the two‑week lunar night power gap that limits solar generation. Critics and some engineers counter that long‑duration maintenance, launch failure modes and unclear international rules for nuclear systems in space create unresolved hazards. The timeline pressure and the secrecy around the Russia China effort mean diplomatic and regulatory questions are likely to surface as both programs move toward testing and deployment.

Dave Levitan

@davelevitan.bsky.social

These are the 20th and 21st paragraphs of a story titled "Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon" www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/w...

Target dates have repeatedly slipped, and [highlight] few experts expect the countries to meet their deadlines. [/highlight] Nobody has a proven lander that can lower heavy, potentially radioactive material onto bumpy lunar terrain. Nobody has ever installed a reactor in low gravity.

The moon bases have not been built, and how much electricity they would need is open to speculation. That is why experts say that all or parts of the reactor designs could change.

735d ago

Drew T2

Guests will be able to watch the construction of these reactors from their suites in the Space Hotel, opening in just a few months bsky.app/profile/bren...

Corey Rayburn Yung

@coreyryung.bsky.social

Nuclear reactors on the Moon while health care costs are at unsustainable levels, homelessness is endemic, and we keep cutting our inadequate social safety net. Just insane.

595d ago

Corey Rayburn Yung18

The Trump war on non-existent problems while contributing to real ones continues.

The Sons of Ares1

Look, the Moon isn’t going to blast itself out of orbit on its own!

Gabriel Malor1

"how to get rid of heat" Those pesky laws of thermodynamics

Shobita Parthasarathy

@shobitap.org

This is just nuts. "Microreactors may eventually end up on the moon, but none are proven and ready. Fundamental safety questions--how to get rid of heat, how to shield the reactor, how to maintain the structural integrity--have not been fully resolved for space reactors...."

385d ago

Shobita Parthasarathy17

Last year, @stpp-um.bsky.social issued a report detailing the range of risks--geopolitical, economic, equity, social, and of course, environmental--of small, modular nuclear reactors. And we didn't even really talk about what might happen if they were built on the moon.

pcrritesgood.bsky.social6

The tech bros are NOT going to do this. They just make up shit to try to get more investment money. They are all liars and shitheads.

Duckshow5

Sure, a constant energy supply can keep you warm during the long, cold nights, but... the water is at the poles, at the permanently shadowed craters. What's above the permanently shadowed craters? Permanently lit hilltops. Just slap solar panels on those bad boys

steve-degenaro.bsky.social5

We can’t get the business case to work out on earth. So let’s add 10x the capex? Wake up, you’re passing along marketing materials for a scam.

the sixers worrier3

@brendelbored.bsky.social space hotel ass article

Relaxin' Jackson 1

The moon famously doesn't have access to solar power.

Quoting this

Coach Finstock210

The NYT is the Weekly World News now. There's no difference. This is never going to happen, not in our lifetime, and especially not with the fuck ass hucksters who run Silicon Valley today. They cannot do any of this. The NYT is just lying for them. This is so wild, man. This paper is asswipe

Jo3

I never thought the end of civilization would come by way of a bunch of idiot billionaires blowing up the friggin moon,… but here we are:

Cheryl Rofer

@cherylrofer.bsky.social

As Silicon Valley enters the nuclear reactor field, they bring their hype with them.

225d ago

Roxanne Darling 🍁4

Like the president, they have never been held accountable for their crimes (FB most def is criminal) nor really any pushback against their hubris. Why stop now?

Deputinize America1

We know how this story goes….

Rob Michlowitz1

And the "move fast, break things" attitude.

speck1

Are they going to use Elon's exploding rockets to deliver nuclear fuel to the moon? That'll be fun. www.foxweather.com/earth-space/...

DianaResists

@dianaresists.bsky.social

Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon! The United States wants a reactor on the moon by 2030. A Russian-Chinese alliance is working on one for 2036. Some leading scientists say the danger is great. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/w...

36d ago

Lawrence Culver

@lawrencecphd.bsky.social

Gift article: Place your bets—which gets irradiated and contaminated first? Texas, Florida, or the moon? (And look up Project A119 if you’ve never heard of it.) “The race for a lunar reactor is as much a spectacle of power as it is a matter of exploration.” www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/w...

55d ago

David

@daverino.bsky.social

“There is a reason for the rush. Russia aims to have a lunar reactor running by 2036 as part of a secretive partnership with China. NASA has already sped up its schedule to beat its rivals” www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/w...

16d ago

David Darmofal

@daviddarmofal.bsky.social

What could possibly go wrong with this? :) Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon

35d ago

New York News

@newyorktopnews.bsky.social

The U.S., Russia & China race to build #nuclear-reactors on the #Moon to power lunar bases. Critics cite serious #safety-risks. Also, billions in #taxpayer-funded contracts create lucrative opportunities for private space companies and their wealthy owners. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/w...

25d ago

Futuremonkey

@futuremonkey.bsky.social

Are they planning to ship water to the fucking moon? Does anyone understand how nuclear reactors work?

45d ago

Bommo4444 🇺🇸🌈🌈🇺🇦🏳️‍⚧️BLM 🇨🇦🇬🇱🇵🇸

@bommo4444.bsky.social

NYT - Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon Now that nuclear waste is all over Earth, lets spread it on the moon too. Humans leave behind a pile of fucking trash no matter where we go

25d ago

Roaring Lion

@babasburfi.bsky.social

The next space race is over nuclear reactors on…the moon?! 🌖 www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/w...

15d ago

𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘 📎

@berncomar.bsky.social

New York Times reports on the U.S. plans to place nuclear reactors on the moon by 2030 in a race to beat the Chinese and Russians (who are teamed up) who have plans for theirs by 2038. They want to mine the moon for minerals. Unless I’m mistaken 50% of the moon is always in sunlight. Hello? Solar?

15d ago

Rob

@robertferry.bsky.social

If we must do this (must we really?), there are many ways to supply reliable power besides nuclear. “Solar panels would not work during cold lunar nights that stretch over two weeks of Earth time.” What a great opportunity to demonstrate the cutting edge in long-duration energy storage?

35d ago

PCNiles 🦋

@pcniles.bsky.social

Too bad governments’ focus isn’t on preserving this planet’s well being instead of endeavoring in projects that could very well destroy it. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/w...

15d ago

1 source

nytimes.comSuperpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon (Gift Article)

Superpowers race to put nuclear reactors on the Moonscience

Superpowers race to put nuclear reactors on the Moon

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