New space race for Helium 3?

[Happy82]

I saw a report recently about Helium 3 (I think it was that!) having the potential to become a solution to energy problems on Earth, and that private companies were sending probes to the Moon to search for it. The article also suggested that a fuel tanker full of Helium 3 would be enough to power the USA for a year (again this from memory so may be incorrect).

I thought that the most interesting part was the suggestion that private companies are looking at exploring the Moon because the initial outlay would quickly be paid back and be a pittance compared to the value of a find.

Anyone else heard anything recently on this? I am aware that exploration of the Moon for mining was suggested in the 80s, but the idea seems to have risen again

[Simpo Two]

Hmm, nuclear fusion it seems: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium-3


No, nothing radioactive will be allowed by the noisy left, or by the ill-educated masses (who won't even eat food one day after its sell by date) or the baying soundbyte press.

Mud huts it is.

[westtra]

could be interesting collecting it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/

[mrloudly]

westtra said:

could be interesting collecting it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/

That's a weird film but strangely compelling to watch ;-)

[jingars]

Apollo 17 atronaut Harrison Schmitt is one of they key advocates of Helium 3 mining. If you go to the the bibliography of the wiki page linked to earlier, one of his 2005 papers is the final link there. As I recall, the amount of regolith that has to be processed to obtain usable amouts of Helium 3 is vast; like many I doubt whether such a process is commercially viable.

And whilst it is taking NIMBYism to the extreme, I am not sure that I would advocate strip mining the moon - unless it is undertaken on the dark far side.