NASA and the US Department of Energy expect to issue a formal request for proposals by early October for the development of a compact nuclear power system to be used for long-term lunar and Martian exploration.

Space News reported that in a 1 September presentation to a committee of the NASA advisory council, DOE officials said they expected to release a request for proposals in late September or early October for the first phase of the Fission Surface Power project.

That project seeks to develop a 10-kilowatt fission power system that could be placed on the moon as soon as 2027, providing power to enable long-term lunar surface activities, especially during the two-week night when solar power is not an option.