Possible Cheap Electricity from Helium 3

[Kodiak]

This is the latest news flsh from Astronautics, received 1 minute ago

The Helium 3 on the Moon and on asteroids could be mined to give us stable nuclear fusion and cheap and safe electricity.

Helium 2 fusion is possible, but cannot be used for more than a few seconds in the fusion reactors we currently have; it causes the walls to crack. So it is not feasible at the moment.

However, Helium 3, which is found almost nowhere on Earth, but which is abundant on the Moon and on asteroids and planetessimals, could be retrieved from them and the cost of these missions would be vastly offset by the profits in terms of energy production and helping the environment.

The Russians currently have such a program called the Moon Gas project.

[joxville]

It's all pie in the sky-we will never, repeat never, get cheap electicity. Hydro electric=cheap fuel costs? Nope. Nuclear electric=cheap fuel costs? Nope.

Sending craft into space, pardon the pun, will be astronomical in costs so do you really believe it will mean cheap electric. Also, if it is feasible, the Russians, Americans and Chinese will throw so much money at it and will have depleted the stocks while we Brits are still arguing about where to site a launch pad and who's palms have to be greased. Time to get your head out of the clouds my friend, this is rip off Britain.

[George Brims]

Since we haven't yet figured out how to make fusion work, there's not a lot of point running off to the moon to find a better fuel for it.