The ambitious project that NASA intends to implement on the moon and is close to being achieved – Teach me about science

It is a human dream to know and colonize other planets, as it is part of that need to expand what we know and see beyond the boundaries that are before our eyes, to find out whether we are unique or not. We explore not only to find something, but also because we want to be found.

As part of this curiosity and need for knowledge, NASA set itself a very clear goal: to reach the Moon and establish itself on it. It's not the only space agency thinking about this, but it wants to be the first to do so successfully; To this end, NASA has concrete plans to make this space mission a success.

Reaching the moon, a goal increasingly closer to reality

With the help of technology, which is advancing at breakneck speed and increasingly offering new and better alternatives, NASA has launched a new project to explore more sustainable energy sources than those currently in place for permanent missions scheduled on the Moon. This project was named Surface splitting force (FSP), which seeks to provide a permanent and reliable power source to aid missions responsible for transporting the first humans to the Moon, so they can live indefinitely through fission reactors.

According to universe today, For this mission to be successful, it is necessary to have a source that provides a lot of energy, and traditional fossil fuels are not the best option, adding that the solar cells on the roof will not work for two weeks, so the best option is to take advantage of a nuclear power plant facility. This is the cleanest and most reliable method for this type of task, without forgetting that it is much more efficient than solar sources.

“Abundant energy will be key to future space exploration.” He said in a press release NASA Jim Reuter, associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). “I hope that surface fission power systems will greatly benefit our plans for power structures for the Moon and Mars, and even stimulate innovation for uses here on Earth.”

Three companies with expertise in nuclear technology have been awarded contracts to provide preliminary designs for the required reactor and associated systems: Lookheed Martin, Westinghouse, and IX. The requirements are tough: the reactor must have a useful life of at least 10 years, be able to operate for this period without the need for maintenance by humans, weigh less than six tons, and have the capacity to produce 40 kilowatts of electricity. . All these requirements are necessary to maintain the life of a small colony of astronauts.

However, the reactor designs will not only serve the Artemis mission on the Moon, but will also lay the foundation for the development of similar systems that could be used on Mars and other long-term missions. There will be no more news about the second phase of the program until 2025, when it will be known whether the financial service provider is still effective.