Technology, And Pitfalls Of Using Nuclear Power In Space

Thoughts:

The United States’ Lunar Fission Surface Power Project aims to deploy a small nuclear reactor on the moon by the early 2030s, marking a significant step towards establishing a permanent nuclear power source beyond Earth’s orbit. This development is crucial for sustaining human presence on the moon and Mars, as solar energy is limited by the two-week-long lunar nights and scarce sunlight at the poles.

According to a report by The Hindu, “For a sustained moon and Mars presence, humans’ energy independence thus becomes a critical enabler” (The Hindu, 2023). Nuclear power has been a reliable option for space exploration, with radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) powering the Voyager spacecrafts’ journey through the solar system.

RTGs convert heat from the decay of plutonium-238 nuclei into electricity, providing a compact and dense source of power. However, they have limitations, producing only a few hundred watts of electric power, sufficient for instruments but not for human habitats or industrial operations. As noted by the US Department of Energy, “RTGs only produce a few hundred watts of electric power, enough for instruments but insufficient for human habitats or industrial operations” (US Department of Energy, 2022).