CYIL vol. 15 (2024)

CYIL 15 ȍ2024Ȏ EURATOM AND THE USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY TO POWER LUNAR BASIS of electric power and operating for at least ten years at the lunar base. In contrast to the RTGs, a reactor can also throttle its power output to meet changing energy demands, which is critical for dynamic applications like providing life support to a lunar base. Furthermore, a small modular reactor can also be designed to provide auxiliary services like heating and electricity production. This could be particularly useful for industrial processes on the Moon, such as sintering regolith to make building materials. At the same time, a reactor for lunar use can’t weigh more than 3,500 kilograms, and sand needs to fit on a lunar lander. 7 Several countries have recently announced their national aspirations to establish a lunar base. 8 In this respect, the issue of electricity supply for these prospective lunar bases has become both topical and necessary to be addressed. While solar power is considered the primary option for powering future lunar bases, nuclear energy represents an essential choice for ensuring a durable and reliable power supply. 9 In 2022, NASA awarded contracts to Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse, and a collaboration between Intuitive Machines and X-Energy to develop a small modular reactor for a prospective lunar base. The first phase was completed in February 2024 with the submission of designs for a reactor that could sustain a habitable moon base for at least a decade. In the United Kingdom, the Space Agency also announced new funding of £ 2.9 for the demonstration of a lunar modular nuclear reactor in March 2024. After an initial study in 2022, the collaboration between the UK industry and academics is being led by Rolls-Royce. The Rolls Royce micro-reactor programme is currently in the concept development phase. Testing is being done on prototype components, and the aim is to have a demonstration model ready for lunar delivery by 2029. The Russian Federation and China, too, have their nuclear ambitions in space. 10 Russian officials have previously expressed their hopes of eventually establishing mining colonies on the moon. 11 China hopes to send humans to the moon by 2030. In March 2024, the Russian space agency Roscosmos announced that it would build a lunar modular reactor together with the China National Space Administration by 2035 to power a joint Chinese-Russian lunar 7 See LUMBRERAS, S. and GRANDE, D. P. ‘Power System Concepts for a Lunar Base’ in RAPAPORT, M. B. and SZOCIK, K. (eds), The Human Factor in the Settlement of the Moon. An Interdisciplinary Approach (Springer International 2021). 8 See LIUA, Y., MEIA, H., PANA, W. and WANG, J. ‘Comprehensive performance evaluation of basic type of lunar habitat’ (2024) 23 J. Asian Archit. Build. Eng . 435, MUELLER, R. P. ‘Lunar Base Construction Planning’, in American Society of Civil Engineers Earth & Space Conference (American Society of Civil Engineers 2022), HEINICKE, C. and ARNHOF, M. ‘A review of existing analog habitats and lessons for future lunar and Martian habitats’ (2021) 21/22 REACH 100038. 9 See VERTADIER, H. and GILBERT, A. ‘The importance of nuclear energy governance in establishing sustainable lunar settlements’ in Proceedings of the 74 th International Astronautical Congress (International Astronautical Federation 2023). 10 See YANG, M., ZOU, Z., WANG, W. and YAO, W. ‘Progress and prospect of lunar resources exploitation and utilization’ (2024) 44 CJSS 1, WU, X. ‘The International Lunar Research Station: China’s New Era of Space Cooperation and Its New Role in the Space Legal Order’ (2023) 65 Space Policy 537, ZHEN, Y., OUYANG, Z., LI, C. and LIU, J. ‘China’s Lunar Exploration Program: Present and future’ (2008) 56 P&SS 881. Also see QUISONG, H. ‘The order of law-based vs. rules-based: The competition in space order between China and the United States’ (2024) 73 ASR 1006. 11 See GALIMOV, E. M., KULIKOV, S., KREMNEV, R. S. and SURKOV, Y. A. ‘The Russian Lunar Exploration Project’ (1999) 33 Sol. Syst. Res . 327, BREARLEY, A. ‘Mining the Moon: Owning the Night Sky?’ (2006) 4 T he International Journal of Space Politics & Policy 43, BELDAVS, V. ‘The International Lunar Decade’ (2014) 13 The Space Review 320.

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