U.S. Military and NASA Explore Nuclear Microreactors for Remote Bases and Lunar Missions
The Department of Defense and NASA are funding micro-reactor projects to provide reliable, low-maintenance power for domestic bases, remote deployments and future lunar operations, with several startups and established firms competing for contracts.
The U.S. Department of Defense has allocated $161 million to nuclear-startup Antares to develop a space-qualified microreactor, while also planning to install its 1-megawatt R1 unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, by September 2028. Founder and CEO Jordan Bramble said the company aims to place an R1-S reactor on the moon as early as 2030, noting that fission power will be essential for high-energy missions to lunar and outer-planet destinations.
Project Janus, a DoD initiative announced in August, earmarks $2.2 billion for microreactor deployments on major continental U.S. bases. Radiant, another startup, received the largest share of Janus awards for its transportable 1-megawatt Kaleidos system, which it plans to install at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado. COO Tori Shivanandan said smaller, diesel-free power sources could reduce the vulnerability of fuel convoys that have been targeted in recent conflicts.
Army energy official Jeff Waksman, a nuclear physicist, highlighted the logistical advantages of long-lasting, transportable reactors for future electric-heavy warfare, while emphasizing that current efforts focus on domestic installations before considering austere or combat-zone locations. He cautioned that operating a microreactor at full power remains untested.
General Atomics is also pursuing a larger tactical energy system (GA-TES) that can scale from 5 to 20 megawatts and is slated for Fort Hood, Texas. Vice president Christina Back argued that proven, larger-scale reactors may be more practical for Army needs, noting that the GA-TES design requires refueling only every four to six years and does not need proximity to water.
Industry participants agree that the Trump administration’s accelerated permitting and bipartisan congressional support are creating a favorable environment for advanced nuclear projects, though they stress the need for rigorous safety standards.
"We’ve always believed since the beginning the [Department of Defense] would be the first adopter of advanced nuclear power," Bramble said.
"Most of the electricity is not what we would necessarily consider critical, operationally critical. If people can’t get lunch, that’s a problem, but that’s not national security critical," Waksman added.
"It’s good for places that are remote. It costs a lot of money to move the fuel up there," Back explained.