NASA announced today it will move forward with plans to build a small nuclear reactor on the Moon by the early 2030s, citing the need for “reliable power” and “the thrill of putting uranium somewhere new.” The project, dubbed Lunafission, will provide energy for future lunar bases, experiments, and-if history is any guide-at least one deeply classified military test.
Officials say the reactor will be “perfectly safe,” despite being built in a place famous for having no emergency services, atmosphere, or escape routes. The reactor’s design ensures that even if it melts down, the Moon will remain “mostly intact,” though scientists admit they haven’t simulated what a nuclear crater visible from Earth would do to tourism.
Critics warn this is the first step toward turning the Moon into “Chernobyl with better views,” but NASA insists it’s just a “small step” for sustainable space living, and possibly a giant leap toward glowing moonlight forever.
