OR NASA had announced an ambitious goal: to install a nuclear reactor in the Moon by 2030 to prevent its Chinese and Russian competitors. However, this plan, as the Washington Post reports, could also open a new front … to space law.
NASA Temporary Administrator Sean P. Duffy justifies this acceleration of nuclear reactor installation in Moonciting the growing pressure from Beijing and Moscow, who plan to place their own reactor by the mid -2030s.
For Washington, this technology should support the “Moon Economy”, prepare energy power on Mars and boost US national security in space.
A “exclusion zone” on the Moon?
The NASA chief reported the possibility of a state to declare a keep-out zone-an exclusion zone-around its reactor. This statement concerns legal: The 1967 Treaty prohibits any territory claim on the Moon, but Article 9 requires respect for the activities of others, leaving room for strategic advantage to the first to be established.
Security belts are also provided in Artemis Agreements, but remain unclear in size and duration. If they are excessively extensive, they can be considered as a disguised way of prohibiting access to other countries.
The race for the south pole of the moon
NASA aims at the South Pole of the Moon, an area rich in ice water and sunlight – valuable resources for future manned missions. However, solar energy there is limited: the lunar night lasts about two weeks. For experts, a reactor is “the next reasonable step” for a permanent human presence.
NASA’s announcement refers to a reactor capable of producing 100 kilowatts, a quantity of energy corresponding to the consumption of a house of 180 sq.m. In three and a half days. However, some scientists warn that rush can lead to accidents and reliability problems, as well as issues of radioactive waste management, which could remain on the Moon for centuries.
If NASA succeeds, this reactor will be a historical progress and perhaps remodeling the rules of space exploration. However, for many, this race already looks like a “golden fever” of lunar dimensions, with all the dangers it entails.