Countdown to fission on the moon: Candidate designs wanted

摘要

NASA and Idaho National Laboratory opened a competitive solicitation for U.S. nuclear and space industry leaders to develop innovative technologies for a fission surface power system that could be deployed on the surface of the moon by the end of the decade. Battelle Energy Alliance, the managing and operating contractor for INL, issued a request for proposals and announced the news on November 19. Companies are being asked to design a reactor that can provide at least 40 kWe-enough to continuously power 30 typical earthling households for 10 years. NASA and the DOE will select competitive proposals to develop initial designs over a 12-month period, with a total maximum price for individual contract awards of $5 million. Proposals are due February 17.