## NASA Glenn Selected to Lead Development of Lunar Nuclear Power Systems **News Title:** NASA Glenn picked to help develop nuclear power...for the moon. **Report Provider:** News 5 Cleveland WEWS **Author:** Clay LePard **Published Date:** September 12, 2025 ### Executive Summary The NASA Glenn Research Center in Northeast Ohio has been chosen to lead a significant space initiative focused on developing nuclear power systems for lunar missions. This project, potentially worth billions of dollars, is crucial for establishing a sustained U.S. presence on the Moon as part of the Artemis program and for future deep space exploration. The selection of Glenn Research Center, which includes the Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, highlights its expertise and positions Northeast Ohio as a central hub for this groundbreaking endeavor. ### Key Findings and Conclusions * **Lead Agency Designation:** NASA Glenn Research Center has been selected to oversee the development, fielding, and acquisition of nuclear power systems for the Artemis mission and future lunar bases. * **Strategic Importance:** The development of lunar nuclear power is deemed essential for overcoming the "power problem in deep space," enabling the construction of infrastructure and the establishment of a sustained presence on the Moon. * **Competitive Landscape:** NASA's decision comes amidst announcements from China and Russia regarding their joint efforts to place a reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s, raising concerns about potential geopolitical implications and the risk of a "keep-out zone" declaration. * **Public-Private Partnership:** NASA will collaborate with private companies to design and build a system capable of generating at least 100 kilowatts of power on the lunar surface. * **Economic Impact:** The project is projected to bring billions of dollars in funding and significant business opportunities to Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, fostering economic growth and the development of a commercial operation around Glenn's work. * **Regional Benefits:** The initiative is expected to stimulate industries across Northeast Ohio, including energy, manufacturing, and technology, by creating demand for components and services related to space power systems. ### Key Statistics and Metrics * **Power Output Target:** The lunar nuclear power system must be capable of generating at least **100 kilowatts (kW)** of power. * **Household Power Equivalence:** 100 kW is sufficient to power approximately **80 homes in Ohio** simultaneously. * **Projected Funding:** The project is estimated to involve **billions of dollars**. * **Lunar Deployment Goal:** NASA aims to have nuclear power operational on the Moon by **2030**. ### Important Recommendations and Directives * **Fission Surface Power (FSP) Development:** NASA's acting administrator, Sean Duffy, issued a directive on Fission Surface Power (FSP) Development, underscoring the urgency and strategic importance of this initiative. * **Regulatory Support:** NASA will actively assist private companies in navigating and clearing regulatory obstacles to facilitate the development of the lunar nuclear power system. ### Significant Trends or Changes * **Shift to Nuclear Power:** There is a clear and acknowledged trend towards nuclear power as the future of deep space exploration, as stated by Amit Kshatriya, NASA's associate administrator. * **Geopolitical Competition:** The announcement highlights an intensifying race for lunar dominance, with China and Russia actively pursuing lunar reactor deployment. ### Notable Risks or Concerns * **Geopolitical Implications:** The potential for the first nation to deploy a lunar reactor to declare a "keep-out zone" poses a significant risk to the United States' planned Artemis presence. * **Technological Challenges:** Developing and deploying a reliable nuclear power system on the Moon presents complex engineering and safety challenges. ### Material Financial Data * The project is expected to involve **billions of dollars** in funding, with significant financial benefits anticipated for the Northeast Ohio region. ### Contextual Information * **Artemis Program:** This initiative is directly linked to NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a long-term lunar presence. * **Armstrong Test Facility:** The inclusion of the Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky emphasizes its role in supporting the development and testing of these advanced power systems. * **Political Support:** The selection of NASA Glenn comes after state and local leaders advocated for the center, pushing back against proposed budget cuts and even proposing it as a future NASA headquarters. Congress has also shown support by proposing to reject significant cuts to NASA's budget. * **International Competition:** The news explicitly mentions the competitive efforts of China and Russia, framing the U.S. development as a race to secure its lunar ambitions.
NASA Glenn picked to help develop nuclear power...for the moon.
Read original at News 5 Cleveland WEWS →The NASA Glenn Research Center in Northeast Ohio has been selected to oversee a major space project that could bring nuclear energy to the moon, potentially involving billions of dollars in funding. Glenn Research Center, which includes the Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, beat out other NASA facilities across the country to lead the development of nuclear power systems for lunar missions.
CLEVELAND — The NASA Glenn Research Center in Northeast Ohio has been selected to oversee a major space project that could bring nuclear energy to the moon, potentially involving billions of dollars in funding. Glenn Research Center, which includes the Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, beat out other NASA facilities across the country to lead the development of nuclear power systems for lunar missions.
"I've asked [NASA Glenn Director Jimmy Kenyon] to take the responsibility of developing, fielding and acquiring that system for us for Artemis mission and our future lunar bases," Amit Kshatriya, NASA's new associate administrator, told News 5. "That program is going to be here at Glenn." Earlier this year, NASA's acting administrator, Sean Duffy, issued a directive on Fission Surface Power (FSP) Development.
CLICK HERE to read the full directive. "Since March 2024, China and Russia have announced on at least three occasions a joint effort to place a reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s," the acting administrator said in the directive. "The first country to do so could potentially declare a keep-out zone, which would significantly inhibit the United States from establishing a planned Artemis presence if not there first."
NASA NASA provided rendering of what nuclear surface power could look like on the moon. "[We've been challenged] to solve the power problem in deep space," Kshatriya added. "That's essential. You can't do anything: you can't build infrastructure, you can't build a sustained presence unless you have power.
That's going to help us power our moon base, help us power everything on the surface." As part of the directive, NASA will partner with private companies to build a system capable of generating at least 100 kilowatts of power on the moon. That amount of energy is enough to power around 80 homes in Ohio at the same time.
The space agency will also help private companies clear regulatory obstacles to facilitate the development of this lunar nuclear power system."We all know the future of deep space exploration is going to rely on nuclear power," Kshatriya said.Experts estimate the project could involve billions of dollars overseen right here in Northeast Ohio.
Matt Dolan from Team NEO, a regional economic development group, said the project could bring significant business opportunities and economic growth to the area."It means if they want to be part of the nuclear effort to bring power to the moon, to propel to Mars, to communicate, all that happens here — If you want to be a part of making that happen, you have to come here," Dolan said.
"What that means is billions of dollars flow into Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. What that means for me as the economic development entity leader in this area is to build a commercial operation around the great work that's happening here at Glenn." Kshatriya emphasized that the project's benefits will extend throughout the region."
We're trying to build an agency that flies things — wants to build things, you're going to see that spread in the region around here," he said. "You're going to see industries all over Northeast Ohio benefit from that. The energy, inspiration provided by this center will spread to the entire region."
It comes after state and local leaders pushed earlier this year not only for NASA Glenn to avoid proposed cuts made in the White House's proposed NASA budget, but also to be the future headquarters for NASA. The space agency's lease at its Washington, D.C. headquarters is up in 2028. Congress has since proposed rejecting the bulk of the White House's proposed cuts to NASA.
RELATED: Ohio leaders rally to relocate NASA's headquarters to the Buckeye State Ohio leaders rally to relocate NASA's headquarters to the Buckeye State NASA has set a goal of getting nuclear power operational on the moon by 2030.Clay LePard is a special projects reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on Twitter @ClayLePard, on Facebook Clay LePard News 5 or email him at Clay.
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