NASA, Energy Department Advance New Era of Nuclear-Powered Exploration

[Marlin]

NASA, Energy Department Advance New Era of Nuclear-Powered Exploration

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-energy-department-advance-new-era-of-nuclear-powered-exploration/

[Core Content]

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, seated left, and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, seated right, hold the signed Memorandum of Understanding, "Accelerating American Leadership in Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion", as Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Michael Kratsios, looks on, during the Golden Age Summit, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington.

NASA and the Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on space nuclear power and propulsion. The agreement establishes a framework for research, fuel production, and testing. Officials aim to field fission systems for upcoming lunar and deep space missions.

The partnership supports federal directives to deploy a lunar surface reactor by 2030 and the Space Reactor-1 Freedom mission in 2028. These projects expand domestic fuel production and technical capabilities. Such initiatives stimulate the nuclear industrial base by translating laboratory research into operational hardware for extraterrestrial environments.

As the Golden Age of deep-space exploration begins, NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy are advancing the development of safe, reliable, next-generation

Editor's note: This release was updated Oct. 8, 2026 with the formal name of the summit.

Together, the agencies will supercharge civil space exploration, unlock bold scientific discovery, and solidify American leadership in space nuclear power and propulsion.

"We are entering the 'Nuclear NASA-era,' which represents a major transformation for space exploration," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "Nuclear power will allow us to go farther, operate longer, and field more capable spacecraft and instruments than ever before. The work we're doing today is laying the foundation for the fission-powered spacecraft of tomorrow and opening an entirely new frontier for exploration and discovery."

Read the full article at NASA:
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-energy-department-advance-new-era-of-nuclear-powered-exploration/