The Future of Portable Clean Energy
ASCENT™
An Integrated Nuclear Energy Platform for Terrestrial and Lunar Power
A Complete Microreactor Energy System
ASCENT™ is an integrated microreactor energy system being developed by Q Energy Systems for terrestrial and lunar applications.
At the center of ASCENT™ is advanced nuclear microreactor technology sourced from a qualified reactor developer. Q Energy Systems integrates that reactor technology with the systems required to transform it into a complete, deployable, and operational nuclear power system.
ASCENT™ brings together the reactor, thermal management, power conversion, electrical power management and distribution, controls, instrumentation, communications, protection systems, mechanical integration, deployment infrastructure, and end-use power interfaces within a unified system architecture.
Q Energy Systems' role is to engineer and integrate these technologies into a complete nuclear reactor system—rather than independently developing the reactor core itself.
The result is a configurable microreactor system designed to provide reliable, long-duration power across demanding terrestrial environments and future lunar surface applications.
One Reactor Platform.
Two Deployment Configurations.
ASCENT™ is a nuclear reactor systems architecture designed to integrate qualified microreactor technology with mission-specific power conversion, thermal management, electrical, control, deployment, and energy delivery systems.
The platform is being developed around two main configurations:
ASCENT™-T
Terrestrial Configuration
ASCENT™-T is the terrestrial configuration of the ASCENT™ Microreactor Platform, designed for continuous, resilient nuclear power across industrial, critical infrastructure, advanced computing, defense, remote, and grid-constrained applications.
The configuration integrates qualified microreactor technology with terrestrial power conversion, heat rejection, electrical power management and distribution, supervisory controls, protection systems, deployment infrastructure, and customer-load interfaces.
Reference power architecture: hundreds-of-kilowatts-electric class, with scalability through configuration and multi-unit deployment.
ASCENT™ -M
Moon Surface Configuration
ASCENT™-M is the lunar configuration of the ASCENT™ Microreactor Platform, designed for sustained nuclear power on the Moon where mass, vacuum thermal rejection, radiation, lunar dust, autonomous operation, launch and landing loads, communications, and surface deployment fundamentally shape the reactor system.
The configuration integrates qualified space-reactor technology with space-rated power conversion, radiative heat rejection, electrical power management and distribution, autonomous controls, communications, surface deployment systems, and lunar mission loads.
Reference power architecture: approximately 100-kWe-class lunar surface power, with a pathway toward multi-unit and higher-power surface infrastructure.
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ASCENT™-T and ASCENT™-M share a common systems-engineering, integration, digital-engineering, and interface-control framework while allowing the reactor technology and mission-specific subsystems to be selected and qualified for each operating environment.
Why ASCENT™
Nuclear reactor-centered architecture — ASCENT™ is built around advanced microreactor technology as the core energy source.
Qualified reactor technology integration — Q Energy Systems can integrate reactor technology developed by qualified nuclear reactor partners rather than duplicating reactor-core development.
Complete reactor system integration — the architecture extends beyond the reactor to power conversion, thermal management, electrical systems, controls, protection, communications, deployment, and end-use power delivery.
Terrestrial and lunar configurations — ASCENT™-T and ASCENT™-M address fundamentally different environments within a common systems architecture.
Standardized interfaces — controlled subsystem boundaries are designed to simplify integration, verification, technology substitution, and future system evolution.
Digital engineering and configuration control — ASCENT™ is developed as an integrated system-of-systems rather than a collection of independently designed components.
Long-duration resilient nuclear power — designed around applications requiring continuous energy where conventional fuel logistics, intermittent generation, or grid dependence may be limiting.
Scalable architecture — designed to support individual microreactor systems and future multi-unit nuclear energy installations.
ASCENT™ bridges the gap between advanced nuclear reactor technology and the complete infrastructure required to deliver usable power.
How ASCENT™ Works
ASCENT™ is a sealed, factory-fabricated nuclear energy system designed for long-duration operation without onsite refueling or nuclear maintenance.
At a high level, the system operates as follows:
A compact HALEU-fueled reactor core produces steady thermal power.
Passive sodium heat pipes transport heat away from the core without pumps or active flow.
Thermal energy is converted to usable electrical and or thermal output through configuration-specific power systems.
Heat is rejected through compact terrestrial systems or radiator-based vacuum systems for lunar operation.
The system operates under automated control with continuous human supervisory authority.
The reactor core, safety systems, and control philosophy remain identical across all deployments. Only balance-of-plant systems change between Earth and lunar configurations.
Our Timeline
Terrestrial Demonstration & Regulatory Engagement
Initial terrestrial deployment of ASCENT™-T in controlled environments, coupled with early regulatory engagement and test-readiness activities.
- Validation of reactor physics and heat transport
- Automation and supervisory control validation
- Alignment with NRC microreactor modernization
- Participation in DOE reactor testing reform pathways
Operational Terrestrial Validation
Extended terrestrial operation of ASCENT™-T to demonstrate stability, reliability, and predictable performance under real-world conditions.
- Performance data collection
- Long-duration autonomous operation validation
- Manufacturing and deployment learning
- Early customer engagement for terrestrial missions
Lunar System Qualification
Qualification of ASCENT™-L balance-of-plant systems for lunar environments, including power conversion, thermal rejection, shielding approach, and autonomous operation.
- Closed Brayton-cycle power systems
- Vacuum thermal rejection architectures
- Lunar integration and transport constraints
Integration & Mission Readiness
Final integration of ASCENT™-L for lunar delivery, including launch interface compatibility, system packaging, and mission-level readiness reviews.
- Lunar transport
- Surface emplacement
- Initial commissioning operations
Lunar Deployment & Surface Operation
Commissioning of ASCENT™-L on the lunar surface as part of sustained U.S. lunar infrastructure, followed by long-duration autonomous operation.
- Fleet learning
- System refinement
- Expansion to additional cislunar applications
Q = I · t
[Electric energy accumulated over time]
•
Q = mcΔT
[Thermal energy stored and transferred]
•
Q = Δmc²
[Nuclear energy expressed through change in mass]
•
Q = I · t [Electric energy accumulated over time] • Q = mcΔT [Thermal energy stored and transferred] • Q = Δmc² [Nuclear energy expressed through change in mass] •