Fission Surface Power Project

NASA’s Fission Surface Power Project develops reactor power systems for sustained exploration of the Moon and later Mars. Managed by Glenn Research Center with the Department of Energy and industry, it builds on Kilopower and is supported through NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions Program. The development spans the reactor, conversion of heat to electricity, radiators, power management and distribution, and lunar deployment. NASA’s 2024 design studies targeted 40 kW of electrical output, operation for at least ten years and a system mass below six metric tons. These are study requirements rather than demonstrated lunar performance. Fission can supply continuous power through darkness and other conditions that constrain solar arrays; the project is developing an electricity source for surface infrastructure. Its public concept images depict proposed equipment, not deployed lunar hardware.