Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Space → Astrophysics

China Reaches Moon Orbit, Wants to Mine Very Rare, Energy Dense Element

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
January 14, 2015
in Astrophysics, News, Space, Space flight

China’s has reached a new milestone in its space program – its latest spacecraft service module has entered orbit around the moon, after being successfully tested on Earth a few months ago. Chinese media reports that the service module of a test lunar orbiter has successfully began orbiting the Moon. The goal of this mission is to land on the Moon, retrieve four rock samples and return on Earth. But this is just the beginning – China has much greater plans.

If the mission is successful (and we have every reason to believe it will be), it will make China the third country to land on the Earth’s natural satellite, after the US and Russia.

“It was the first time for a Chinese spacecraft to reach the L2 point, and the service module completed three circles around the point, expanding probe missions,” vice director of China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND), Zhao Wenbo says.

But while this is a laudable accomplishment in itself, China wants to eventually be able to mine the moon for a rare helium isotope which some scientists believe can be the key to future energy: Helium-3 (He-3). Helium-3  is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium which is very rare on Earth, but can be found in relative abundance on the Moon. Materials on the Moon’s surface contain helium-3 at concentrations on the order of between 1.4  and 70 parts per billion, which may seem like very little, but it is enough for many people to propose the extraction of He-3 from the Moon.

The Moon’s He-3 inventory, in parts per billion. Image via Lunar Networks.

Helium 3 can clean fusion plants since the isotope is light and isn’t radioactive. This means that with it, we could develop renewable nuclear plants, which leave no radioactive byproduct behind. It would produce enormous quantities of energy with no negative “side effects”; just so you get an idea, 40 tons of Helium 3 (which can be fitted in two space shuttles) would be enough to power up the United States for one year!

However, in order to obtain those 40 tons, you’d need to process 6 billion tons of material! But China isn’t discouraged. Cosmochemist and geochemist Ouyang Ziyuan from the Chinese Academy of Sciences who is now in charge of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has already stated on many occasions that one of the main goals of the program would be the mining of helium-3. Russia has also expressed its interest in this idea, so it’s certainly an attractive possibility. Whether or not it can be done, and whether or not it is economically viable remains to be seen. For now, this remains an interesting, yet distant idea.

Edit: Because people have been asking – no, we don’t have the infrastructure to use Helium-3 even if we managed to bring it back to Earth. We would have to build everything from scratch, though many current technologies would certainly be useful.

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. CAPSTONE paves the way: NASA’s tiny satellite reaches the Moon to test orbit for future space station
  2. The European Space Agency wants to mine the moon for oxygen and water
  3. An energy-dense diet changes the brain — makes rats hungrier and more prone to obesity
  4. Too big to orbit: Jupiter is so massive it doesn’t actually orbit the Sun
  5. China wants to be the first to land on the Dark Side of the Moon
Tags: chinahelium-3Moon

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW