The reactor will be built on Earth and then moved to the Moon. It should be delivered to the Moon fully assembled, ready for operation and not needing additional assembly operations.
The project should include a uranium-fueled reactor core, a system for converting nuclear energy into usable energy, a temperature control system for cooling the reactor, and a distribution system that provides at least 40 kW of continuous electricity for 10 years of operation in the lunar environment.
The reactor must be turned on and off without human assistance. Transportation to another lunar site offers simplicity and convenience.
The reactor has the usual requirements for all spacecraft – lightness and small dimensions. When launched from Earth to the Moon, it must fit inside a cylinder 4 meters in diameter and 6 meters long. It must not weigh more than 6,000 kilograms.
Proposals must be submitted by February 19th. 22 applications from different companies have already been submitted. There are no special requirements for companies, they may not even belong to the space sector.
Experts believe that the Moon is getting “closer and closer” to the Earth, and over the next 10 years its space will be actively explored by earthlings.
