Placing an atomic energy source on the lunar surface is “not science fiction,” experts say, but does pose technical challenges.

NASA has set a 2030 deadline to build a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor on the moon. It’s an ambitious but potentially achievable goal that could transform space exploration, experts tell WIRED.

Nuclear reactors in space may sound like something out of science fiction, but they are likely to prove important for powering long-term space missions.