# DARPA Develops Autonomous Reactor Controls

DARPA’s Fat Cat program is developing and experimentally validating autonomous controls and physics models for small fast reactors intended for remote environments, including space and undersea settings. The program description includes a planned demonstration on a functional reactor with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Although a headline reports that SpaceNukes received an award, the supplied program information does not confirm the award or provide its value, date, or contract number; procurement professionals should treat that claim as unverified.

- Companies with small-reactor, control-systems, or reactor-modeling capabilities can assess how their work aligns with Fat Cat’s stated technical focus.
- DARPA and LANL testing activity may provide concrete indicators of technical requirements and potential follow-on procurement opportunities.
- Because no award details or solicitation information are confirmed, contractors should not rely on the reported SpaceNukes award as evidence of a contract opportunity.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** October 23, 2026

### Government Entities
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

### Vendors
- SpaceNukes (Reported awardee for autonomous reactor controls; award is unverified in the supplied program information)

### Sources
- [Trump’s administration is building NUKES for space through DARPA, and the program is literally called FAT CAT.

A company called SpaceNukes just announced an award to develop autonomous reactor controls.

WE WILL SOON HAVE SPACE NUKES CALLED FAT CAT??

https://t.co/dj2laoieiB htt](https://x.com/SDNsmartcity/status/2113589321412620330) - twitter-defense