Now NASA wants to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon
Despite the fact that no human foot has set foot on the Moon for almost 53 years, attention to it has recently been revived at, figuratively speaking, cosmic speed. As soon as it was reported in April that China was planning to build a nuclear power plant on the lunar surface by 2035, the Americans were in a frenzy. And now, acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy has announced that the US will be able to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030.
What is NASA planning?
NASA plans to install a small 100-kW nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030 to provide a powerful source of energy for future lunar bases. This is a necessary preparatory step for building a lunar base where people can stay for a very long time. The reactor should provide survival conditions during extremely cold lunar nights when there is no light for solar panels.
In fact, China is planning to do the same. Fears that China will capture the Moon or build a military base there before it does have a chance to motivate avaricious senators to allocate huge sums of money to the new space programme.
What does space law say?
It is allowed if it is not prohibited. The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons or WMD on the Moon, but does not prohibit the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including the construction of a reactor. Article IX of the Treaty obliges states to take into account the interests of others and consult if planned activities may interfere with the peaceful exploration of outer space. In fact, autonomous spacecraft such as Voyagers already use small nuclear reactors to power them.
The Moon Treaty (1979), which introduces the concept that the Moon is the common heritage of mankind, was supported by very few countries, and the leading space powers, such as the United States, have not ratified it. The Liability Convention (1972) obliges a state to be liable for damage caused by its object in space. Thus, any incident involving a lunar reactor falls on the country that launched it.
Conclusion.
It seems that we are about to enter a new round of the space race, and it will continue with a new stage of development. We are looking forward to lunar bases and manned flights to Mars. The only pity is that the arms race is again giving impetus to the development of science.
Source: arstechnica.com
