the U.S. Department of energy on Friday made a formal request for ideas for the construction of Autonomous nuclear power plants on the moon and Mars. The creation of an extraterrestrial nuclear power plants could provide a long-term life in space. And we are not talking about some distant, but about the very foreseeable future. In the us Department of energy, applied to the private sector for the productive ideas, I want by the end of 2026 was ready reactor, the flight control system and the lander.
the United States wants to build a nuclear power plant that will work on the moon and Mars. On Friday, the U.S. Department of energy has put forward a formal request for ideas from the private sector for the creation of the so-called surface energy division, which would allow people a long time to live in the harsh space conditions.
the Nuclear research center of national laboratory of Idaho, the Department of energy and NASA will evaluate ideas for the design of the reactor.
national laboratory, Idaho is the USA leader in the development of advanced reactors, some of which represent microreactors, while others can run without water for cooling.
Nuclear water-cooled reactors make up the vast majority of reactors on the Earth.
“Small nuclear reactors could provide the power needed for missions for space research of interest to the Federal government,” – said in published on Friday the Ministry of energy of the United States.
the Plan, according to the Associated Press, consists of two stages. The first is the development of the reactor design. The second stage is the construction of the test reactor, the second reactor is sent to the moon, and the development of flight and the reentry vehicle that can transport the reactor on the moon.
the Goal is that by the end of 2026 to prepare for the launch of reactor, the flight control system and the lander.
the Reactor should be able to generate uninterrupted electricity for at least 10 kilowatts. According to the energy information Administration of the United States, the average residential home in the USA uses about 11,000 kilowatt-hours per year.
the Department of energy has stated that it will probably take several related reactors to meet energy needs on the moon or Mars.
in addition, the reactor can not weigh more than 3,500 kg, must work in space, and largely Autonomous and not less than 10 years.
the Ministry of energy said that the reactor is intended to support research in the southern polar region of the moon. A specific region on the Martian surface for exploration is yet to be determined.
the Director of safety of nuclear power in the “Union ofbespokoinyi scientists” Edwin Lyman said that his organization deals with security issues in the production of nuclear energy, environmental pollution, etc., concerned with the design parameters and timing that make the most likely use of reactors that use highly enriched uranium, which can be used as a weapon. For this reason, countries usually try to reduce the amount of enriched uranium.
“This could lead to the beginning of the international space race to create and deploy new types of reactors that require highly enriched uranium,” warns the scientist.
recently the United Arab Emirates has launched an Orbiter to Mars, and China launched towards the red planet, the Orbiter, the lander and the Rover. The US plans to send another Mariinsky mission in the near future.
officials claim that the operation of a nuclear reactor on the moon will be the first step to create a modified version to work in a different environment on Mars.
“national laboratory, Idaho plays a Central role in emphasizing U.S. global leadership in nuclear innovation with the expected demonstration of the advanced reactors at the site of the laboratory,” – said the Deputy Director of the laboratory for nuclear science and technology John Wagner. The prospect of deployment of advanced reactor on the surface of the moon is as exciting as challenging.”
