NASA Chief Declares New Space Race with China for Lunar Resources
The United States is in a new space race with China to claim resource-rich areas of the Moon, NASA's interim administrator Sean Duffy stated. He announced ambitious plans to install a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor on the lunar surface by 2030 to power a permanent base. Duffy emphasized the strategic importance of securing a specific part of the Moon's south pole, which offers both water ice and continuous sunlight, stating, "We want to get there first and claim that for America."
Unpacked:
The Moon’s south pole is valuable because it contains significant deposits of water ice and areas of nearly continuous sunlight, making it ideal for supporting long-term human presence and resource extraction for fuel and life support systems.
International law, notably the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, prohibits nations from claiming sovereignty over lunar territory. The Artemis Accords allow for safety zones to avoid interference, but these zones are temporary and do not confer ownership.
Major challenges include developing a reactor that can withstand lunar conditions, safely transporting and assembling it on the Moon, and ensuring reliable, long-term operation in a harsh, remote environment. Previous projects aimed for lower power outputs, making the 100-kilowatt goal ambitious.
China and Russia are accelerating their own lunar exploration programs, with plans to deploy reactors and establish bases by the mid-2030s, aiming to secure access to lunar resources and increase their presence in space alongside the U.S.