INL setting sites on powering the moon

IDAHO FALLS — Idaho National Laboratory and the United States Department of Energy want to put power on the moon.

Battelle Energy Alliance, the managing and operating contractor for Idaho National Laboratory, and NASA are seeking feedback from leaders in the nuclear and space industries to develop innovative technologies for a Fission Surface Power system that can be operated on the moon.

Following up on the request for information issued in July, Battelle Energy Alliance released a draft Request For Proposal to solicit industry feedback to inform a final RFP that will be released in February. The draft RFP can be viewed here. Responses are sought by Jan. 22, 2021.

Sponsored by NASA in collaboration with the DOE and INL, the draft RFP provides the first phase of technical requirements and work products for a Fission Surface Power system that can be built, tested, and deployed on the moon and potentially used for subsequent missions.

“Idaho National Laboratory is the nation’s leader in nuclear innovation. By partnering with the private sector to develop a first-of-kind lunar nuclear reactor, the government is advancing the United States’ leadership in both space exploration and advanced nuclear technology,” said Sebastian Corbisiero, senior technical adviser leading the FSP project for INL’s Nuclear Science & Technology Directorate.

For more information on the draft RFP, please visit the FSP website at https://www.nstdirectorate.com/nasa-fsp

Also, interested parties may contact Sebastian Corbisiero at sebastian.corbisiero@inl.gov.