In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman speaks with science journalist Robin George Andrews about NASA’s push to put a nuclear reactor on the moon. They explore why nuclear power could be key to sustaining long-term lunar missions, what the technical hurdles of operating a reactor in such an extreme environment are and why experts say the agency’s ambitious timeline may be moving too fast.

Recommended Reading:
<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-dreams-of-a-nuclear-power-plant-on-the-moon-heres-why/">Why NASA wants to build a nuclear reactor on the moon</a>
<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-needs-nuclear-power-for-its-moon-base-heres-the-white-house-plan-to-get-it/">NASA needs nuclear power for its moon base. Here’s the White House plan to get it</a>
<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-announces-nuclear-powered-mars-mission-by-2028/">NASA announces nuclear-powered Mars mission by 2028</a>
<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-commits-to-plan-to-build-a-nuclear-reactor-on-the-moon-by-2030/">NASA Commits to Plan to Build a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon by 2030</a>

E-mail us at <a href="mailto:sciencequickly@sciam.com">sciencequickly@sciam.com</a> if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!
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Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

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