Monday, Jan. 30, 2006 11:45 a.m. EST
Russia to Mine Moon for Energy
Russian space officials announced plans last week to build a
permanent base on the moon to mine isotope helium-3, a promising
fuel for nuclear energy.
With the move, Russia joined the United States in pushing for a
permanent presence on the moon and in encouraging speculation on
helium-3s feasibility for energy production on earth.
"We are planning to build a permanent base on the moon by 2015,
said Nikolai Sevastyanov, head of the Energia space corporation, at
an academic conference as reported by the ITAR-TASS news
agency.
"By 2020, he continued, "we can begin the industrial-scale
delivery of the rare isotope helium-3.
President Bush called for the creation of a permanent U.S. base on
the moon in early 2004. Bushs announcement also generated
speculation about U.S. interest in helium-3.
Some scientists believe the isotope could be the next great source
of energy for the world.
Gerald Kulcinski, a nuclear engineering professor at the University
of Wisconsin Madison, told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in
January 2004 that helium-3 could transform energy production
without causing harm to the environment.
"If we could land a space shuttle on the moon, fill the cargo with
canisters of helium-3 mined from the surface and bring the shuttle
back to Earth, Kulcinski promised, "that cargo would supply the
entire electrical power needs of the United States for an entire
year.
And, he continued, helium-3 "doesnt produce greenhouse emissions.
Its safe for the environment.
Another scientist, John Santarius of the University of Wisconsins
Fusion Technology Institute, told the Journal-Sentinel that
helium-3 provides one million times more energy per pound than a
ton of coal.
Though rare on earth, the isotope is abundant on the moon.
Kulcinskis research team has estimated that more than 1 million
metric tons is trapped in the upper layers of lunar rock.
If their calculations are correct, the moon would contain enough
helium-3 to power 1,000 years of electricity in the United
States.
=======================================
How come so many weird project lately?
