Sean Duffy wants to fast-track putting a 100kw nuclear reactor on the moon, according to a directive he sent out Thursday. It would help win the "space race."

NASA announced plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon on Tuesday, in an attempt to stay ahead of China and Russia in a new space race. The goal is to have the reactor built before 2030, a timeline set during the Biden administration.

Placing an atomic energy source on the lunar surface is “not science fiction,” experts say, but does pose technical challenges.