US, Russia and China Race for Lunar Nuclear Power Amid Safety Concerns

The United States is seeking to have a nuclear reactor ready for launch to the Moon by December 2030, as competition grows over how to power future lunar facilities.

The American timetable puts it in a race with a Russian-Chinese project aimed at supplying energy to lunar stations by 2036. Both efforts place nuclear power at the centre of plans for operations on the Moon.

The two targets mark different stages of development: the US goal is launch readiness, while the Russian-Chinese objective is to provide power to stations. Neither timetable alone establishes when a reactor would begin operating on the lunar surface.

The push is drawing warnings that accelerating the programmes could compound safety challenges. Pressure to meet ambitious deadlines raises concerns about whether safety work can keep pace with development.

The emerging competition therefore extends beyond who reaches a milestone first. It also puts the safe preparation and deployment of lunar nuclear technology under scrutiny.