2 December 2025 In 2018, Antares, a nuclear power startup, announced its involvement $96 million to finance work on the development of small nuclear reactors, including space applications. The company attracted $71 million in the Series B round. The round was led by Shine Capital with participation from Alt Capital, Caffeinated Capital, Fifty Years, Industrious Ventures and other investors. In addition, the company received $25 million in debt financing.
Startup with 60 employees works on scaled nuclear reactors, which can be used both on Earth, as well as in space. The new funding will be used to build a plant in California, able to produce 10 reactors per year, as well as for equipment and purchase of uranium fuel.
Antares chief executive officer said, that there were several months left before the first demonstration of the reactor, which will validate control systems and neutronics models, will develop a test rig and produce fuel before a full-scale prototype, which will produce electricity already in 2027 year. This reactor demonstration, named Mark-0, scheduled to begin testing next year at the Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory. It will support the development of the Mark-1 prototype reactor, scheduled for 2027 year.
The company sees opportunities both with the military, and with NASA for its planned microreactors – compact and transportable units, designed to provide energy in remote environments. Antares stated, that is interested in the NASA Fission Surface Power program (FSP), which is aimed at reactor development, able to produce at least 100 kilowatt on the surface of the moon.
Source: https://spacenews.com