UK govt powers up Rolls-Royce's plan to build N-reactor on moon

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) said on Friday it would back research by Rolls-Royce  looking at the use of nuclear power on the moon. 

In a statement, the government agency said researchers from Rolls-Royce had been working on a Micro-Reactor program “to develop technology that will provide power needed for humans to live and work on the Moon,” CNBC reported.

The UKSA will now provide £2.9 million ($3.52 million) of funding for the project and the firm has been asked to demonstrate how nuclear micro reactors could extend the duration of future missions to the Moon.

The agency’s chief executive Paul Bate said: “We are backing technology and capabilities to support ambitious space exploration missions and boost sector growth across the UK.” “This innovative research by Rolls-Royce could lay the groundwork for powering continuous human presence on the Moon, while enhancing the wider UK space sector, creating jobs and generating further investment,” he added. 

The UKSA said it wanted to establish a new power source to support systems for communications, life-support and scientific experiments on the Moon.

Rolls-Royce said it wanted to have a reactor ready to send to the Moon by 2029.

The company will work with the University of Oxford, University of Bangor, University of Brighton, University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, and Nuclear AMRC on the project.