NASA and the Department of Energy signed a new space nuclear agreement Thursday, putting another piece of Washington’s reactor ambitions on paper while private developers race to meet some of the near-term goals.
The nuclear energy renaissance story has been increasingly linked to the buildout of data centers for AI. NASA is reminding folks that ChatGPT is not the only customer for fission.
We’re getting America underway on nuclear power in space and ushering in the era of a Nuclear NASA. With the signing of an MOU with @ENERGY, we’re taking the next giant leap toward exploring the outer solar system and sending American astronauts to Mars. Fission power will help us travel farther, operate longer, and power more capable scientific instruments.
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) October 8, 2026
Signed by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the MOU, “Accelerating American Leadership in Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion,” takes effect November 1st. The MOU covers all aspects of getting nuclear energy off the ground, including research, testing, launch integration, and fuel production.
This newer version of the Space Nuclear Power agreement replaces the previous MOU between NASA and the DOE, which reaches its 10-year expiration at the end of October.
Most of the MOU should not be news to our readers, though. The agreement signed this week is more of a collection of the previous agreements announced in January and March of this year.
The MOU covers three prog
