In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman speaks with science journalist Robin George Andrews about NASA’s push to put a nuclear reactor on the moon. They explore why nuclear power could be key to sustaining long-term lunar missions, what the technical hurdles of operating a reactor in such an extreme environment are and why experts say the agency’s ambitious timeline may be moving too fast.

Recommended Reading:

Why NASA wants to build a nuclear reactor on the moon

NASA needs nuclear power for its moon base. Here’s the White House plan to get it

NASA announces nuclear-powered Mars mission by 2028

NASA Commits to Plan to Build a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon by 2030

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Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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