Helium-3 (He3) has potential to be used as fuel in future nuclear fusion power plants. It would produce a clean fusion process, leaving little of the radioactive waste that plagues nuclear fission. But Helium-3 is found rarely on Earth and is therefore worth $16 million dollars per kilo. With prices like that, resource extraction on the Moon all of a sudden becomes a fairly reasonable economic activity to pursue. Several governments have subsequently signaled their intention to go to the Moon to mine helium-3 as a fuel supply. Is this a potential and viable solution to our energy problems? What are the pros and cons?
Helium-3 (He3) has potential to be used as fuel in future nuclear fusion power plants. It would produce a clean fusion process, leaving little of the radioactive waste that plagues nuclear fission. But Helium-3 is found rarely on Earth and is therefore worth $16 million dollars per kilo. With prices like that, resource extraction on the Moon all of a sudden becomes a fairly reasonable economic activity to pursue. Several governments have subsequently signaled their intention to go to the Moon to mine helium-3 as a fuel supply. Is this a potential and viable solution to our energy problems? What are the pros and cons?
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Helium-3 (He3) has potential to be used as fuel in future nuclear fusion power plants. It would produce a clean fusion process, leaving little of the radioactive waste that plagues nuclear fission. But Helium-3 is found rarely on Earth and is therefore worth $16 million dollars per kilo. With prices like that, resource extraction on the Moon all of a sudden becomes a fairly reasonable economic activity to pursue. Several governments have subsequently signaled their intention to go to the Moon to mine helium-3 as a fuel supply.
Is this a potential and viable solution to our energy problems? What are the pros and cons?
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