Did anybody see Horizon about the Moon containing Helium 3, what is it and how do scientist plan to extract it

Question

Did anybody see Horizon about the Moon containing Helium 3, what is it and how do scientist plan to extract it

Answer 1

Helium-3 is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium. The helion, the nucleus of a helium-3 atom, consists of two protons but only one neutron, in contrast to two neutrons in ordinary helium. Its existence was first proposed in 1934 by the Australian nuclear physicist Mark Oliphant while based at Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory. It was first observed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 1939 by Luis W. Alvarez and Robert Cornog.

Helium-3 is rare on Earth and sought-after for use in nuclear fusion research. More abundant helium-3 is thought to exist on the Moon (embedded in the upper layer of regolith by the solar wind over billions of years) and the solar system's gas giants (left over from the original solar nebula), although still in low quantities (28 ppm of lunar regolith is helium-4 and 0.01 ppm is helium-3).[1]

Answer 2

Once we perfect fusion in 30 or 40 years and find an economical way to get back and forth from the moon it may be useful but I suspect the cost to "mine" it, process it and transport it will be prohibitive for a long time.

Answer 3

Helium3 is an isotope of helium that is non radioactive.

It could be 'fused' to deuterium (an isotope of hydrogen) to form helium4 and a proton. At the same time a small amount of energy will be released. The energetic proton can be controlled with electric and magnetic fields, and because it is charged can be directly used to produce electricity.

This reaction is more favourable than deuterium-deuterium because it produces a proton instead of a neutron. Neutrons are difficult to control and when absorbed by a material make that material radioactive.

Estimates say that 20 tonnes of Helium3 would be sufficient to supply the US for an entire year. Only one problem then...

getting a controlled fusion reactor to work!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium_3

Answer 4

Take a look at these sites.

Answer 5

I doubt that helium atom is very small and will leak through most things. Worked on a special amplifier which used liquid helium as a refrigerant . Every few days something would happen and it was all gone.

Answer 6

Take a look.