US, Russia and China race to deploy nuclear reactors on the Moon as space-energy geopolitics enters a new phase
The United States, Russia and China are accelerating development of compact nuclear reactors for deployment on the lunar surface, seeking to meet the energy needs of future Moon bases. The shift marks a move beyond one-off missions and crewed landings toward infrastructure-scale energy systems on another world, opening a new phase of space-energy geopolitics and posing fresh questions for international space governance, the outer-space treaty regime and the risk of a new kind of arms race.