Interim NASA Administrator and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is set to unveil plans this week for a nuclear reactor deployment on the moon. Documents obtained by Politico reveal the Trump administration aims to deploy a 100-kilowatt reactor on the lunar surface by 2030—a move the administration says is vital to winning a second space race.
While NASA has previously explored the idea of lunar nuclear power, Duffy’s announcement will mark a concrete timeline underpinned by recent White House funding boosts for manned space missions in 2026. “It is about winning the second space race,” a NASA official told Politico.
In addition to the lunar reactor, Duffy is expediting plans to retire the International Space Station (ISS) and commission its replacement by 2030. NASA anticipates awarding contracts to private firms—such as Axiom Space, Vast, and Blue Origin—with the nonprofit contractor SpaceX already contracted for a key mission: commanding a version of its cargo Dragon craft to safely deorbit the ISS for destructive re-entry over open ocean.
All of these initiatives form part of a broader strategy to restore U.S. leadership in space. The administration sees the reactor and station replacement as critical stepping stones toward returning to the moon and eventually reaching Mars—goals of growing importance as China aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface by 2030 and advance its own space agenda.
The documents suggest that if foreign powers such as China or Russia succeed in deploying the first operational lunar reactor, the U.S. may declare a protective “keep-out zone” around the installation to protect its strategic interest. Defense analysts say concerns over Chinese or Russian lunar ambitions underscore the urgency behind the reactor timeline.
Duffy was named interim administrator after President Trump withdrew the nomination of Jared Isaacman, reportedly amid tensions with Elon Musk over key legislation. As NASA pivots toward public-private partnerships and aggressive timelines, the moon reactor and ISS replacement projects showcase renewed ambition and competition in the space arena.
