NASA and the nation’s top federal nuclear research lab put out a request for proposals for a fission surface power system.

NASA is working with the Idaho National Laboratory of the US Department of Energy to develop a sun-independent power source for lunar missions before the end of the decade.

In a statement, Sebastian Corbisiero, the Fission Surface Power Project lead at the lab, stated, “Providing a reliable, high-power system on the moon is a vital next step in human space exploration, and achieving it is within our grasp,”

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After establishing a sustained human presence on the moon, the next goal would be Mars. According to NASA, fission surface power might offer long-term, abundant power on the moon or Mars no matter the environmental conditions on the moon or Mars.

In a statement, Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, stated, “I expect fission surface power systems to greatly benefit our plans for power architectures for the moon and Mars and even drive innovation for uses here on Earth,”

The reactor would be built on Earth before being sent to the moon.

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