Starcast Join the waitlist
Science Quickly

Science Quickly

Nukes on the moon?

May 20, 2026 · 17m

Coming soon to iPhone. Already have it? “Listen in Starcast” takes you straight there.

On this episode

About this episode

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 E-mail us at…