Why does the Moon have so much helium-3?
The abundance of helium-3 is thought to be greater on the Moon than on Earth, having been embedded in the upper layer of regolith by the solar wind over billions of years, though still lower in abundance than in the Solar System’s gas giants.
What could helium-3 be used for?
Helium-3 (He3) is gas that has the potential to be used as a fuel in future nuclear fusion power plants. There is very little helium-3 available on the Earth. Several governments have subsequently signalled their intention to go to the Moon to mine helium-3 as a fuel supply.
What fuel do fusion reactors use?
The current best bet for fusion reactors is deuterium-tritium fuel. This fuel reaches fusion conditions at lower temperatures compared to other elements and releases more energy than other fusion reactions. Deuterium and tritium are isotopes of hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe.
Is helium-3 good for the environment?
Abstract: The lack of wind and water means that the waste will stay localized indefinitely and cause no contamination of the environment. The positive benefits of using lunar 3He in terrestrial fusion plants far outweigh the detrimental effects of mining.
How is helium used today?
Helium is used for medicine, scientific research, arc welding, refrigeration, gas for aircraft, coolant for nuclear reactors, cryogenic research and detecting gas leaks. It is used for its cooling properties because of its boiling point being close to absolute zero.
Does helium-3 exist on the moon?
Helium-3 is a rare isotope on Earth, but it is abundant on the Moon. Throughout the space community lunar Helium-3 is often cited as a major reason to return to the Moon. To supply 10\% of the global energy demand in 2040, 200 tons of Helium-3 would be required per year.
Is Helium-3 mining possible on the Moon?
Schmitt has numerous papers and books on the prospect of lunar development and helium-3 mining, and has worked closely with the group at the University of Wisconsin which is developing helium-3 fusion technologies. Yutu landed as part of the Chinese robotic lunar explorationprogram named Chang’e, after the mythical goddess of the Moon.
What is the helium-3 regolith on the Moon?
In 1986, scientists at the Institute of Fusion Technology at the University of Wisconsin estimated that the lunar “soil”, called the regolith, contains one million tons of helium-3 ( 3 He), a material that could be used as fuel to produce energy by nuclear fusion.
What is China’s helium-3 program?
China’s Helium-3 Program: A Global Game-Changer. China is now leading the world into an industrial and scientific revolution, the sheer scale of which will of necessity soon require an entirely new form of energy, never before mastered on Earth: controlled thermonuclear fusion power, using helium-3 (He-3) as its fuel.
Is helium-3 fusion possible?
Gerald Kulcinski, director of the Institute of Fusion Technology at the University of Wisconsin and one of the authors of that pioneering study in 1986, has been developing fusion with helium-3 for decades.