Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Trump administration plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon before China can do the same. 

Duffy, who is also serving as interim NASA administrator, confirmed the plans on Tuesday, saying energy is critical for sustaining life on the moon and future missions to Mars. 

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“We’re in a race to the moon, in a race with China to the moon,” Duffy said. “And to have a base on the moon, we need energy.” 

He said that the administration plans to also install solar power capabilities in some locations on the moon in addition to the nuclear reactor. The fission reactor is expected to have a 100-kilowatt output, roughly the same amount of energy needed to power a 2,000 square foot home. 

“We’re not talking about massive technology,” Duffy said. “We’re not launching this live … but again, energy is important. And if we’re going to be able to sustain life on the moon to then go to Mars, this technology is critically important.” 

The U.S. government has expressed interest in building a nuclear reactor on the moon for years. In 2021, the Department of Energy under former President Joe Biden partnered with NASA to discover the best design submission for a fission surface power station to be built on the moon by 2030. 

The history of nuclear power in space stretches back much further; in 1969, the Apollo 12 mission used radioisotope thermoelectric generators — nuclear batteries — on the moon. 

Under Duffy’s fast-tracked directive, the administration is seeking proposals for the reactor within 60 days, Politico reported. At least two companies are expected to be awarded a contract within six months, and the administration aims to launch the reactor by 2030. Duffy has also ordered NASA to designate a leader for the project within 60 days.

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Foreign interest in deploying nuclear energy on the moon has also grown in recent years. In March of last year, the Russian space agency Roscosmos revealed that Moscow and Beijing were working together to install a nuclear power facility on the moon between 2033 and 2035. 

At the time, Russian officials said they believed nuclear power would be critical for powering settlements, saying solar power would not be enough.