Washington: NASA intends to accelerate plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon. The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will seek industry proposals over the next 60 days for the construction of a 100-kilowatt reactor on the Moon, which is expected to become operational by 2030.

According to Qatar News Agency, this project arises amid intensifying competition with China, which aims to conduct its first crewed mission to the Moon around the same period. The nuclear reactor is designed to provide a stable power source for future lunar missions, particularly during the lunar night-a two-week period when solar energy becomes unavailable.