NASA Expands Nuclear, Workforce Strategies to Power Future Missions

NASA is accelerating development of nuclear propulsion, surface power systems and public-private workforce models as it advances plans for sustained lunar operations and deep space exploration, Administrator Jared Isaacman said Tuesday at an agency event.

The agency is aligning these technology investments with priorities outlined in the National Space Policy, including building a moon base by 2030 and expanding capabilities for missions beyond Earth orbit. Isaacman said NASA is on track to deliver on the plan. He added nuclear propulsion, advanced power systems and stronger industry partnerships are central to enabling those efforts.

“We can change the world in air, space and science, and inspire the next generation along the way,” said Isaacman.

Bolstering the Talent Pipeline

Isaacman said NASA is also reevaluating how it structures its workforce to better align technical expertise with mission needs. About 75% of NASA’s workforce is made up of contractors, he said, noting that model remains essential in highly specialized areas such as cybersecurity and IT systems.

“I don’t think NASA was created as an agency to be the best at cybersecurity or IT systems,” said Isaacman. “That is a great area where we should be relying on a strong contract workforce.”

NASA is expanding collaboration with industry and other federal agencies to strengthen its technical capacity. Isaacman pointed to NASA Force, a workforce initiative developed with the Office of Personnel Management, as a way to integrate private-sector expertise and create rotational opportunities for early-career talent.

“It allows some of our younger talent to go into industry for term rotations and bring some of their experiences back to NASA. So this is underway right now … and it actually frees up quite a bit in terms of resources for additional science and discovery,” said Isaacman.

Advancing Nuclear Propulsion

As a part of the efforts to build a moon base, NASA plans to launch the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, Space Reactor-1 Freedom (SR-1 Freedom), to Mars before the end of 2028. Nuclear electric propulsion is expected to significantly improve mass transport efficiency in deep space and enable high-power missions beyond Jupiter, where solar energy becomes less effective.

“We want to inevitably explore farther out into the solar system, where solar loses its effectiveness. This is where you want nuclear power,” said Isaacman. “If you’re trying to build a base on the Moon, you’re going to want nuclear power there to manage operations and keep rovers moving even in the shaded area.”

Steve Sinacore, fission surface power program executive at NASA, said the agency is working with the Energy Department and industry partners to design, build and operate the system.

Under the partnership:

• Industry will develop the reactor and key spacecraft subsystems, including shielding, heat transfer, power conversion and instrumentation.
• NASA will provide the spacecraft bus, electric propulsion systems, power management, structural components and mission operations.
• The Department of Energy will lead reactor design, nuclear fuel integration and launch safety analysis.

Sinacore said NASA will serve as the prime integrator, with a single program office managing the system from design through launch to maintain schedule discipline and accountability. He added that SR-1 Freedom will help establish regulatory frameworks and workforce requirements for future nuclear-powered missions.

“Overall, a fission powered spacecraft carrying science to Mars is not just a tech demo, it is the first freight run on the Transcontinental Railroad of the solar system,” said Sinacore. “It is the foundation for everything that follows.”