Antares reaches reactor criticality under Trump pilot program, marking major nuclear milestone

Antares Nuclear, Inc. announced Thursday that its Mark-0 microreactor achieved criticality at Idaho National Laboratory , becoming the first advanced reactor to reach the milestone under a U.S. Department of Energy pilot program established after President Donald Trump's 2025 executive order aimed at accelerating nuclear development. The Torrance, California -based company said the reactor reached initial criticality under DOE authorization, making Antares the first private company to bring an a