[anymouse]

This has more to do with the politics of fusion research funding than science.

Harrison J. Schmitt, Adjunct Professor

This professor, former Apollo Astronaut (yeah, he's been there, researched that) and former U.S. Senator (R-NM) might disagree with this author.

Professor Schmitt is a consultant engaged in research with the Fusion Technology Institute on the utilization of resources from space, including the feasibility of using helium-3 from the moon to supply energy on Earth. He also teaches a popular course, Resources from Space. An astronaut on the Apollo 17 mission to the moon, Schmitt has first-hand knowledge of the space environment.

[Enchante]

Interesting.... so the FTI is really pushing the helium-3 from the moon idea..... they should be presented with this article for response.

http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/gallery

[beezdotcom]

This has more to do with the politics of fusion research funding than science.

Yes, but that's exactly what scares me. I've seen enough to know that not all science is good science, especially when it's 'popular' - Man-Made Global Warming is a prime example.

In fact, MMGW is the BEST analogy. I certainly agree that we should improve fuel efficiency, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and a number of other goals - but I won't be stampeded into doing the WRONG things in the WRONG ways based on junk science (like corn ethanol). Similarly, I believe we should be going to the Moon, and using whatever beneficial materials we find there - but the last thing I want to do is sell it all on the basis of He3 fusion, only to have the rug pulled out from underneath if it is later discovered that He3 isn't particularly good for that sort of thing.

The part of this article that worries me most is where it outlines that a deuterium-He3 reactor would inevitably end up producing a large number of deuterium-tritium reactions, and an He3-He3 reactor is currently beyond our abilities. I think this is the most important part to rebut if a case is to be made for lunar He3 mining - and so far, I haven't found anything that rebuts this.