Kodiak
20-Feb-09, 18:59
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.
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.