The Pentagon is backing nuclear waste recycling for long-lasting military power sources

image via New Scientist

March 17, 2026, 10:00 AM

• •Project Omega plans to mine nuclear waste to power military hardware.
• •The U.S. currently lacks infrastructure to recycle nuclear waste, unlike countries like France, China, and Russia.
• •Project Omega proposes a molten salt reaction to recycle waste, avoiding pure plutonium production.
• •The Pentagon is interested in the technology for applications like powering vehicle convoys and remote outposts.
• •The company recently received an award letter from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Project Omega, a Rhode Island start-up, is developing a method to recycle spent nuclear fuel to create long-lasting power systems. This process could provide a self-sufficient energy source for the military, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers and addressing the lack of infrastructure for recycling nuclear waste. The company's molten salt reaction approach aims to extract useful elements without producing pure plutonium, mitigating proliferation concerns and allowing for various military applications. This innovative technology could revolutionize military capabilities, potentially powering everything from vehicle convoys to remote outposts and space-based sensors.

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