The space race is no longer prioritizing exploration but militarization and energy. The second space race will see the United States come up against Russia and China to place nuclear reactors on the surface of the moon.
US Transportation Secretary and interim NASA Administrator Sean Duff declared that installing a nuclear reactor on the moon is the agency’s top priority. The reactor will generate a minimum of 100 kilowatts of electricity to support lunar missions and infrastructure, and NASA has a firm deadline—2029.
Duffy also noted that the nation that reaches the moon first will have the ability to implement “keep-out zones” around their reactors. The US has a strong sense of urgency as China and Russia have a joint plan to create an automated nuclear power station on the moon by 2035.
Russia and China have been plotting to implement the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) since 2021, during the reconnaissance phase of the mission, where China’s Chang’e series and Russia’s Luna missions sought appropriate sites for construction. The construction phase will begin in 2026 and last until 2035. Beginning next year, China and Russia plan to begin assembling a command center and sample return missions before assembling the core facility centers for energy, research, and communications.
The south pole of the moon has consistent sunlight needed for power. It is also believed that water ice may be present in the permanently shadowed craters. Nuclear power is crucial, as solar panels and/or batteries alone will not be able to supply a continuous source of energy due to the moon’s long nights.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons or military bases on the surface of the moon. No nation has declared that it wants to militarize the moon, and we are to believe their innovations are for peaceful purposes only. The reactors do have the potential for dual-use and will give the commander a massive technological advantage.
Who will reach the moon first? The US and Russia are spending on endless warfare, and China will soon be brought into the battle. Naturally there is a high price to pay for such technology. The US is considered the global leader in space capabilities and plans to launch humans to the Moon by 2028 under the Artemis project. China’s technology is rapidly advancing, and its partnership with Russia will make for a true opponent. Whoever achieves lunar dominance first will become a leader in AI, nuclear powers, resource utilization, and communication technologies—the ultimate global power of the 21st century.
Oh, and it is of note that there may be an abundance of unexplored rare minerals on the Moon as well.
