Opening Panel - Scaling The Nuclear Space Renaissance

The nuclear space renaissance is no longer a future prospect — it is happening now. From commercial radioisotope power systems to fission reactors on the lunar surface to Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) demonstrations, the variety and scale of government and commercial interest has never been greater. A confluence of U.S. Presidential Executive Orders, agency initiatives, funding mechanisms, and private investment are all propelling this wave forward. But as the number, variety, and ambition of nuclear space systems accelerate, the frameworks, facilities, personnel, and institutional bandwidth required to accommodate them are being stress-tested in real time. This panel frames the conversation around a fundamental question: "Can institutions historically accustomed to supporting one nuclear space mission per decade rapidly adapt to enable a high cadence of missions as well as large-scale nuclear space deployment programs?" Panelists will candidly examine the barriers to scaling at speed — and debate the practical solutions needed to meet this moment.