NASA Selects 37 Companies to Develop Moon Base Technologies Including Nuclear Batteries and Laser Power
NASA has chosen 37 companies to help develop the tools and technologies needed to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon. The selected projects include advanced nuclear battery systems and laser-based power transmission capabilities, both of which could prove essential for operating equipment in the harsh lunar environment where traditional solar power faces significant limitations during the two-week lunar night.
The initiative represents a strategic push to leverage commercial innovation for space exploration. Nuclear batteries, also known as radioisotope power systems, can provide reliable electricity for years without sunlight, while laser power systems could potentially transmit energy from sunlit areas to shadowed regions of the lunar surface.
This selection builds on NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and eventually establish a long-term scientific and commercial presence there. The technologies being developed could also have applications for future Mars missions and other deep space exploration efforts.