CYIL vol. 15 (2024)

JAKUB HANDRLICA I. A NEW RACE TO THE MOON 1, 2

The idea of a lunar nuclear use, which means the use of nuclear reactors to power a lunar base, certainly has deep roots in the space community. 3 The fact is that the full potential of nuclear energy has yet to be harnessed beyond the Earth. Until very recently, the only source of nuclear energy in space has been radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which have been used to provide electricity for spacecraft. All of NASA’s rovers have been powered by RTGs, including the latest Mars explorer, Perseverance, which was the first space rover made in the USA to be fully powered by nuclear fuel. 4 Having said this, one must bear in mind that the RTGs are very useful for less energy-demanding applications, such as science experiments. However, due to their technical capacities, the RTGs do not represent a viable option for reliable and durable delivery of electricity to prospective lunar bases. 5 Consequently, the recent advances in technology have caused an intensive renaissance of plans for the prospective use of small modular reactors (SMR) in lunar projects. 6 In the future, small modular reactors will probably be very able to heat a fluid and drive a power converter to produce electricity on a lunar basis – either on their own or as a subsidiary of solar power. One expects that the small modular reactor will be capable of delivering at least 10 kilowatts 1 This paper was written under the umbrella of the project ‘A fleet of small modular reactors on the horizon! Do we need a new nuclear law?’ (registration number 24-10062S), supported by the Czech Science Foundation. 2 This is a written and much expanded version of my speech, entitled ‘Charting the course towards European nuclear use in the space’, which was presented on 10 th July 2024 at the symposium “Golden age of European space regulation” under the umbrella of the ICON·S Annual Conference in Madrid, Spain. 3 See BUDEN, D. and ANGELO, J. ‘Nuclear energy – key to lunar development’ in MENDELL, W. W. (ed), Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century (Lunar and Planetary Institute 1985). Also see COSTEN, R. C. and HUMES, D. D. ‘Reference mission – Nuclear-reactor power for lunar base’ in DE YOUNG, R. J. (ed), Second Beamed Space – Power Workshop (NASA Conference Publication 1989), CANE, S. C. ‘Extra-terrestrial nuclear power stations : transportation and operation’ (Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005), GOROKHOVSKAYA, D. and THOMAS, L. D. ‘Analysis of Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Construction on the Moon’ in 73rd International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Paris, France, 18-22 September 2022 (IAC 2022), PETROCELLI, A., BETTINGER, R. A., KUTZ, N. C. and HARTSFIELD, C. ‘Atlas of historical and proposed nuclear devices and power systems in the Earth-Moon System and wider Solar System’ (2023) 164 Prog. Nucl. Energy 104857. 4 See VISO, M. ‘Perseverance’ in GARGAUD, M., IRVINE, W. I., AMILS, R. and CLAEYS, P. (eds), Encyclopedia of Astrobiology (Springer International 2023). 5 See BENNETT, G. ‘Space nuclear power: opening the final frontier’ in 4th International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference and Exhibit (IECEC), 26 June 2006 – 29 June 2006, San Diego, California (Aerospace Research Central 2012). 6 See NIKITAEVA, D. and THOMAS, L. ‘Analysis of Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Construction on the Moon’ (2023) 75 JBIS 56, GUVER, U. and VELIDI, G. ‘Nuclear Power Generation Using Modular Helium Cooled Reactors for Sustainable Lunar Bases and Moon Habitats’ in Proceedings of the 74th International Astronautical Congress (International Astronautical Federation 2023), MOLTENI, C. ‘Preliminary architecture of nuclear space reactor for a lunar base’ (Master Thesis, Politecnico Milano, 2022), NIKITAEVA, D. and THOMAS, L. D. ‘Power Generation on the Moon for Future In-Situ Resource Utilization’ in Proceedings of Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for the Space, NETS 2022 (American Nuclear Society 2022), OTTEWELL, S. ‘A Mobile Reactor On The Moon?’ (2021) 83 Chem. Process . 12, GUVER, U. ‘Utilization of nuclear power for lunar outposts: Nuclear power generation using helium cooled reactor for moon habitats’ in Proceedings of the 71st International Astronautical Congress (International Astronautical Federation 2020), SOVACOOL, B. K. and RAMANA, M. V. ‘Back to the Future: Small Modular Reactors, Nuclear Fantasies, and Symbolic Convergence’ (2015) 40 ST&HV 96.

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