Decouple Janus: The Army’s Second Attempt at Fielding Microreactors
Dec 18, 2025
Dr. Jeff Waksman, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, shares his insights into the Janus microreactor program. He reveals how Janus aims to learn from past failures, using a milestone-based funding approach inspired by SpaceX. Waksman discusses the challenges of fuel logistics, the need for operational flexibility in military contexts, and the ambitious goal of transitioning to scalable production. He also highlights the complexities of regulatory hurdles and supply chain dynamics in reviving military nuclear initiatives.
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Pentagon Office Overlooks 9/11 Memorial
- Jeff Waksman described his Pentagon office overlooking the 9/11 memorial and why that section survived due to renovation reinforcement.
- He used the story to show both gravity of the location and a personal connection to the building's history.
Janus As A Transition Engine
- Janus is designed to transition microreactor prototypes into commercial products by subsidizing learning rather than electricity sales.
- The program uses milestone funding, hard downselects, and vendor replaceability to jumpstart industry scale-up.
Prefer Milestone Payments Over Cost Shares
- Use milestone payments instead of cost shares to avoid malinvestment and sustain cash flow for startups.
- Reward concrete achievements like hardware tests or regulatory steps so companies stay incentivized to economize.