NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four humans to the moon for the first time in more than half a century. And it is just the beginning. In a speech at a space policy event on Tuesday, NASA chief Jared Isaacman said that the mission was an “opening act” for a new era of human space exploration and, eventually, a permanently staffed moon base. But for NASA to make that ambition a reality, the agency will need nuclear power—and the White House just laid out a plan for how to get it.A nuclear reactor uses fission to produce energy: a nuclear chain reaction splits atomic nuclei of a particular radioactive element and releases massive amounts of heat. Such a reactor would be necessary for any lengthy stay on the moon because each lunar day and each lunar night lasts about 14 Earth days. That means any moon base will experience two weeks of darkness followed by two weeks of light, ruling out solar power as a reliable and permanent source of energy. What is your take on the issue ?
