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NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have signed an agreement to coordinate the development of nuclear power and propulsion for space missions. The memorandum of understanding (MOU), signed on Oct. 8, 2026, takes effect Nov. 1, according to NASA. It sets out collaboration across research, fuel production, testing, launch integration, and operations; it does not mean the planned reactors have been built or deployed.
What NASA and DOE agreed to do
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and DOE Secretary Chris Wright signed the MOU, titled “Accelerating American Leadership in Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion,” at the Golden Age Summit in Washington. NASA describes safety as a central principle of the work. The agreement formalizes and expands cooperation between the agencies, whose collaboration in space exploration and technology development spans more than 50 years, NASA said in January 2026.
The agencies’ shared work is intended to cover the development chain: advanced research, producing fuel, rigorous testing, integrating systems with launch missions, and operating them. NASA’s earlier description of the lunar effort also included developing, fueling, authorizing, and preparing the reactor for launch. The MOU is an interagency framework, not a statement that every stage is complete. NASA’s Oct. 8, 2026 announcement and its Jan. 13, 2026 announcement describe the agreement and preceding cooperation.
What the announced milestones mean
| Program | Purpose | Announced milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Space Reactor-1 Freedom (SR-1 Freedom) | A Mars-bound mission intended to demonstrate nuclear-electric propulsion and deliver three SkyFall helicopters to Mars. | NASA’s Space Reactors Division lists launch as planned for 2028. This is a future mission, not a completed propulsion demonstration. |
| Lunar Reactor-1 (LR-1) | A planned fission power system for lunar surface operations, including activity through long nights near the Moon’s south pole. | NASA’s Oct. 8, 2026 release sets an objective for a lunar reactor to be ready for launch by 2030. That is a target, not a launch or deployment date. |
NASA’s Space Reactors Division describes the missions and their intended roles. A separate April 2026 White House memorandum directed NASA to start a mid-power reactor program, including a lunar fission surface-power variant ready for launch by 2030 and an option for a space nuclear-electric-propulsion demonstration. It directed NASA to work with multiple vendors through at least preliminary design review and ground tests, and to select no more than two designs within one year.
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The White House memorandum’s technical figures are design targets, not verified performance: at least 20 kilowatts-electric (kWe) for at least three years in orbit and five years on the lunar surface, with at least one selected design extensible to 100 kWe or more. The memorandum is available at the White House.
How the three kinds of space nuclear systems differ
Lunar surface fission power
A fission surface reactor is meant to generate electricity for equipment and infrastructure on the Moon. Unlike solar panels, it does not depend on local sunlight to keep generating power, making it relevant to lunar nights and operations near the south pole. DOE says a lunar night is equivalent to 14 Earth days and notes the challenge of maintaining reliable power through extreme temperatures. A system must also withstand launch or landing vibration and protect its reactor, coolant, and controls in the lunar environment. DOE explains these challenges in its lunar surface power overview.
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Nuclear-electric propulsion
SR-1 Freedom is a spacecraft propulsion demonstration, not a lunar surface power plant. In nuclear-electric propulsion, a reactor supplies electricity to a propulsion system aboard a spacecraft. NASA’s stated SR-1 mission is planned to travel to Mars and deliver three SkyFall helicopters.
Radioisotope power and heat
Radioisotope systems use heat from radioactive decay rather than a fission reactor to provide electricity or warmth. NASA says the planned Dragonfly mission to Titan will use a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator and 24 Light Weight Radioisotope Heater Units. NASA and DOE also plan to provide 24 similar heater units for the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin Mars rover. These systems serve different mission needs; the cited sources do not establish them as interchangeable with the planned fission reactors.
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What DOE contributes, including reactor fuel
DOE’s role is part of the development chain, not just a general endorsement. The MOU provides for collaboration on fuel production, testing, and mission readiness alongside NASA’s work on spacecraft and mission integration.
Fuel availability is a specific issue for SR-1 Freedom. In a July 23, 2026 bulletin, DOE said it had made a conditional commitment of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to NASA for the mission. DOE also said HALEU was not then available from domestic suppliers and that its allocation process could provide material from DOE sources, including the National Nuclear Security Administration. The bulletin does not state how much fuel NASA received or describe the commitment as an unconditional delivery. See DOE’s HALEU announcement.
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NASA says the programs are intended to help build a domestic space-nuclear industrial base. Its Space Reactors Division identifies commercial industry, academia, and innovators as potential participants and links to a Space Power and Reactor Capabilities call for proposals on SAM.gov. That is an industry participation route, not evidence of a named consumer product or confirmed commercial partner.
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DOE says the SNAP-10A reactor produced 500 watts during its 1965 flight test and operated for 43 days. Those figures describe that historical satellite reactor, not the planned lunar system’s output or lifetime. They should not be compared directly with the White House’s 2026 targets of at least 20 kWe for specified mission durations: the technologies, mission requirements, and stated measurements differ. DOE’s overview provides the historical figures and lunar context.
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