The crew of Artemis II is set to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as early as February. Their mission will take them around the moon and back — the first step toward putting astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years.
But this time, it’s about much more than planting flags and collecting rocks. NASA’s Artemis program aims to create a long-term human presence on the moon — and eventually use it as a base for missions to Mars.
To live and work on the moon, astronauts will need a steady source of power. With two weeks of daylight followed by two weeks of darkness, solar panels won’t be enough. The solution? Nuclear energy — and Canada wants to play a major role.
Earlier this month, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) gave $1 million to the Canadian Space Mining Corporation (CSMC) to design a small, low-enriched uranium reactor that could operate on the moon.
When most people think of nuclear reactors, they picture massive power plants with cooling towers. But new technology allows much smaller versions, called micro modular reactors, which can be built in a factory and shipped to remote locations — or even to the moon.
Powering space exploration
“The idea of using nuclear in space isn’t new,” said Kirk Atkinson, a nuclear engineering researcher at Ontario Tech University. “The Russians experimented with it during the Cold War, and NASA has been testing small reactors for years.”
Canada is joining an international race to build these space reactors. NASA hopes to have one on the moon by 2030, five years ahead of China and Russia’s joint plans.
Even though Canada doesn’t yet have the ability to launch its own rockets, it’s still finding ways to contribute.
“The international community is working together to build a permanent presence on the moon,” said Daniel Sax, founder and CEO of CSMC. “Canada has always played a key role in space exploration — from the Canadarms to technology that’s gone to Mars.”
Canada’s space robotics company MDA Space, which built the Canadarms, also received $500,000 from the CSA to develop software for managing a lunar nuclear power system.
“Canada is really good at space tech,” Sax said. “We’re also really good at nuclear. So we’re combining those strengths.”
He added that the same microreactor technology could one day be used here on Earth — especially in remote and Indigenous communities that still rely on diesel power.
Challenges on the moon
The plan is to build the reactor on Earth, then ship it to the moon, where it would run mostly on its own but still be monitored from Earth.
However, there are major challenges. “You can’t use water or air to cool a reactor on the moon,” said Atkinson. “There’s no atmosphere, and the gravity is much lower.”
There are also questions about nuclear waste and safety regulations.
“Who regulates something on the moon?” asked Jamie Noel, a chemistry professor at Western University. “In Canada, that would normally be the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. But space adds a whole new level of complexity.”
Despite those challenges, Sax is optimistic. His company is also exploring how to extract water from the moon — another key part of making lunar life possible.
“I think humans will keep exploring no matter what,” he said. “If we can power that exploration and also bring real benefits to people on Earth — especially in places that need clean energy — that’s something worth doing.”
