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Posted on 09/12/2015 11:38:43 AM PDT by BenLurkin
China plans to send an unmanned lunar lander similar to previous probes but with a much heavier payload to the far side of the moon. Due to communications issues with the Moon itself blocking transmissions, China will undoubtedly launch a relay satellite in geo-synchronous lunar orbit to transmit data back, scientists say.
The Chinese mission is set to determine how much of the rare element Helium -3, which exists in very small quantities on Earth, can be extracted from the purported rich deposits located on the moon's far side.
H-3 is a light non-radioactive gas that has the potential to be used as a fuel in future nuclear fusion power plants. If the Chinese moon mission is successful in finding the H-3, plans are underway to mine and extract this fuel-efficient element. The cost of the Chinese moon missions would be offset by the return in H-3 extraction and production back on Earth.
(Excerpt) Read more at coasttocoastam.com ...
I wish my country did cool stuff.
We have people who burn the local CVS.
Ooooooo - kay ....... why ?
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What?
You don’t believe something from Coast to Coast?
They don’t want anyone to see what they’re doing?
To extract H-3. It can be used as a rocket fuel I believe. Harvesting it from there means that the amount of fuel needed to get to the moon (or any heavy lift effort) would be cut in about half. If you can make fuel in a low gravity environment, you do not need the fuel to go home when you leave. That means you can either take more stuff with you, or you can lift off with less fuel—it just makes the whole process more efficient.
“Didn’t we used call it the Dark side of the moon? Are we really that politically correct now? “
Assuming you’re not being sarcastic, although the moon keeps one side toward Earth the other gets just as much sun as the side facing us. It was called the dark side of the moon because we knew nothing about it.
Given the huge cost of launching vehicles into space, and probably bringing stuff back from the moon, I’m skeptical that this will be a cost-effective project. However, figuring out how to extract and exploit off planet resources would be a huge step towards that staple of 1950’s science fiction - terraforming, i.e. creating earth-like environments on other planets. Still, given our amoeba-like understanding of how climate works, let alone changing it, terraforming will probably remain a pipe dream for the indefinite future.
>>I wish my country did cool stuff.
It used to, but then we decided that “diversity” was the ONLY success metric.
You’re not supposed to talk about that. It is covered in the ‘black projects’ part of the budget! Shhhh!
well their gonna have another thing comin when they run smack dab into our secret air forces bases back there and the blue avians.
A rat done bit my sister Nell but Whitey’s on the moon.
So we can’t tell they’re lying.
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