Framed as a national security and space leadership issue, the move signals growing urgency in Washington to counter China and Russia's joint lunar ambitions - including fears of "keep-out zones" that could limit US access to resource-rich regions of the Moon.

Sean Duffy, serving as interim NASA administrator, reportedly plans to direct the agency to develop a nuclear reactor for lunar deployment within six years

New NASA Administrator Sean Duffy's first project will be an attempt to take American energy dominance to the moon.