NASA eyes nuclear power plants that'll generate energy on the Moon and Mars

NASA is reportedly considering building nuclear power plants that will work on the Moon and Mars, to make human life possible on other planets. On Friday, the space research agency sought ideas from the private sector on how nuclear power could be used in outer space.

A nuclear research facility in eastern Idaho, the Energy Department, and NASA will evaluate all the ideas submitted by the private sector for the reactor. It says that small nuclear reactors can provide energy for conducting space exploration missions.

The Energy Department, NASA, and Battelle Energy Alliance will hold an industry meeting in August to discuss the prospects for the program. The BEA is the contractor that manages the Idaho National Laboratory.

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Dual phased program

It is a dual phased plan wherein the first is to develop a reactor design. The second is to develop a test reactor along with a second reactor to be sent to the Moon. A flight system and lander will also be developed for transporting the reactor to the Moon.

NASA expects to build the reactor, flight system, and lander ready for launch by the end of 2026. The reactor must generate constant energy output of at least 10 kilowatts, weigh less than 7,700 pounds and run for at least ten years. Ten kilowatts is not much power as the average house in the US uses 11,000 kilowatt-hours per year of electricity. NASA is likely to develop multiple linked reactors to meet power demands on the moon or Mars.

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(Image credits: NASA)