NASA and DOE Sign Agreement to Develop Space Nuclear Power
NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy signed a memorandum to work together on space nuclear power and propulsion, effective Nov. 1. The partnership covers research, fuel production, testing, launch integration, and operations, with safety as a central requirement. NASA officials said the effort is intended to enable longer and more distant deep-space missions.
The NASA–Energy Department memorandum was signed Oct. 8, 2026, during a Washington summit and becomes effective Nov. 1. It creates a cooperative framework spanning nuclear research, fuel manufacturing, testing, launch integration, and mission operations, with safety treated as a core requirement.
The agreement supports existing fission and radioisotope work. A December 2025 executive order set a 2030 target for a lunar surface reactor. NASA's Space Reactor-1 Freedom is slated for 2028, while Lunar Reactor-1 would power a future Moon base. Dragonfly, launching in 2028, will use a radioisotope power system.
This partnership could accelerate the timeline for nuclear-powered deep-space missions, affecting researchers, engineers, and future lunar crews who may depend on such systems. It may also shape aerospace jobs and supply chains as reactor and fuel work grows. Safety and oversight could remain central public concerns, while related advances might eventually yield broader benefits beyond spaceflight.