US military and NASA accelerate development of nuclear microreactors

The US military and NASA are ramping up nuclear microreactor projects to power remote bases and deep space research. Ventures such as Antares and Radiant are developing next-generation reactors for ground bases and space missions through pilot programs and Project Janus.

The US military and NASA are accelerating the development of nuclear microreactors to support the AI boom and power remote bases. In June, nuclear venture Antares successfully operated its Mark-0 microreactor, reaching a critical milestone in the reactor race. While Antares aims to install its 1-megawatt R1 reactor at Fort Bragg in North Carolina by September 2028, founder and CEO Jordan Bramble aims to deploy an R1-S on the moon as early as 2030.

A $2.2 billion award was announced in August under Project Janus, which is being carried out to protect defense infrastructure from grid failures and provide reliable baseload power. Radiant, the largest recipient of the awards, is developing the 1-megawatt portable Kaleidos system, which is about the size of three parking spaces and capable of powering approximately 750 homes. Radiant COO Tori Shivanandan stated that diesel generators require frequent refueling and present a target, noting that their units do not require refueling for three years.