On August 5, according to the political news website Politico, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will announce this week plans to accelerate the construction of a nuclear reactor on the moon, which will be his first major move since becoming the interim administrator of NASA (NASA).
NASA interim administrator Duffy
NASA has discussed building a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface in the past, but this time it will establish a clearer timeline, according to documents obtained by Politico. Nuclear reactors may one day be able to power humans on the moon. The move comes at a time when NASA is facing deep budget cuts and highlights Duffy's intention to play a role in formulating NASA policy. He held both offices at the same time, which was opposed by some members of Congress.
"This is about winning the second space race," said a senior NASA official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the documents have not yet been released publicly.
U.S. President Trump appointed Duffy as NASA's interim administrator in July this year. Previously, he suddenly withdrew the nomination of billionaire Jared Isaacman, an Elon Musk ally, as NASA administrator, sparking a dispute with Musk.
The nuclear reactor directive issued by Duffy requires NASA to solicit proposals from the industry to develop a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor, scheduled to be launched before 2030. This is an important consideration for astronauts to return to the moon. Previously, NASA had funded the development of a 40-kilowatt lunar nuclear reactor with the goal of being ready for launch in the early 2030s.
The directive states that the first country to deploy a reactor may "declare a no-go zone, which would severely restrict U.S. operations," reflecting NASA's concerns about joint projects between China and Russia. The directive also requires NASA to designate a person to lead the project and solicit input from industry within 60 days. NASA is looking for companies capable of launching nuclear reactors before 2030, as China also plans to carry out its first manned mission to the moon before 2030.
Duffy also issued a directive to speed up the process of replacing the International Space Station, another important goal of NASA. Both initiatives are expected to accelerate U.S. efforts to land on the moon and Mars, goals that China is also pursuing.
These plans are consistent with the Trump administration’s emphasis on human spaceflight. Although the White House is slashing the budget of other projects, including cutting nearly 50% of funding for scientific missions, funding for human spaceflight projects has increased in 2026.
NASA plans to award contracts to at least two companies within six months of soliciting proposals. The agency hopes to build a new space station in space by 2030, otherwise there will be only manned space stations operated by China in orbit by then.
Many companies have begun to respond to the demand for space station construction, including Axiom Space, Vast and Lanqi. However, in recent months, some lawmakers have expressed concerns about NASA's pace of progress, arguing that the agency has not been able to provide these companies with the financial support they need in a timely manner.