Italy Kicks Off Project To Develop Small Nuclear Reactors To Power Moon Settlements

Italy is taking a bold step towards revolutionizing space exploration with the Selene Project, a groundbreaking initiative to power lunar settlements using small nuclear fission reactors. Led by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in collaboration with the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy, and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), the project focuses on creating the Moon Energy Hub (MEnH), an advanced energy infrastructure designed to support human and robotic activities on the lunar surface.

Surface Nuclear Reactors (SNRs) promise significant advantages over conventional energy technologies like solar panels and radioisotope systems. These older systems have limitations in scalability, operational lifespan, and resilience to cosmic radiation, making SNRs a superior alternative for the moon’s demanding environment.

As part of ASI’s 2023 funding call, the Selene Project emerged as a key player in the quest for innovative energy solutions for space exploration. ENEA, leading the project’s feasibility study, aims to evaluate the practicality of deploying SNRs on the moon. This study highlights ENEA’s strategic role in bridging Italy’s nuclear and space research communities, establishing a collaborative foundation for technological innovation.

The Moon Energy Hub is designed to be a modular and adaptable system capable of expanding to meet the evolving demands of lunar missions. It incorporates energy storage systems to ensure a consistent power supply, steerable power transmission systems to deliver energy across various distances, and mobile reception units to support less energy-intensive activities. Together, these components aim to provide a stable and versatile energy base for lunar operations.

Mariano Tarantino, head of ENEA’s Nuclear Systems Division, described the MEnH as an ambitious effort to integrate technological innovation, reliability, and compactness in the harsh lunar environment. “By combining technological innovation, strategic vision, operability, reliability, and compactness in an extremely demanding environment such as the lunar one, the MEnH aims to become a cornerstone for future space explorations and a point of reference for defining a clear operating scenario and a roadmap to reach it,” Tarantino explained.

In addition to powering future lunar settlements, the Selene Project aims to develop key technologies such as sensors, automation, and wireless power transmission. It also emphasizes decommissioning strategies, supply chain enhancements, and the creation of an industrial roadmap for large-scale implementation. Tarantino further noted that “the coordination of SELENE allows us to confirm the role of ENEA in the nuclear sector for space at the national and international level, becoming the glue between the industrial fabric and the world of research engaged in the space sector.”

The three-year initiative is expected to set the stage for the industrialization of space technologies, paving the way for sustainable and scalable energy infrastructure in extraterrestrial environments.