NEWT’S MOONBASE Could Provide Enough Helium-3 to Power ENTIRE US For Years

Gateway Pundit ^ | January 28,2012 | Jim Hoft

[Hojczyk]

Newt Gingrich told Floridians this week that that under his administration the US would have the first permanent base on the moon. An American moon base could provide America with enough Helium-3 to provide for all of country’s energy needs

Nations and private companies are racing to be the first to scout the moon for Helium 3, a rare gas which could make almost unlimited, clean fusion energy a reality.

Some experts estimate there a millions of tons in lunar soil — and that a single Space-Shuttle load would power the entire United States for a year. Both China and Russia have stated their nations’ interest in helium-3.

A moon base could also provide America with several rare earth elements. Discovery reported:

As Discovery News reports, thanks to a critical shortage last year, the price of the isotope helium-3 has skyrocketed from $150 per liter to $5,000 per liter.

Helium is used for arc welding and leak detection, mostly, although NASA uses it to pressurize space shuttle fuel tanks. Liquid helium cools infrared detectors, nuclear reactors, and the superconducting magnets used in MRI machines, too. The fear is that, at current consumption rates, that underground bunker will be empty within 20 years, leaving the earth almost helium-free by the end of the 21st century. This could be bad for US industry.

It also bodes ill for the prospect of fusion using helium-3, a rare helium isotope that is missing a neutron. Physicists have yet to achieve pure helium-3 fusion, but if they did, we’d have a clean, virtually infinite power source. Or so the theory goes.

And that’s where the moon comes in. The moon’s lunar soil is chock-full of helium reserves, thanks to the solar wind.

[Doctor 2Brains]

for later

[MissMagnolia]

Some experts estimate there a millions of tons in lunar soil — and that a single Space-Shuttle load would power the entire United States for a year. Both China and Russia have stated their nations’ interest in helium-3.

Mining the moon ..... I can hear the enviro-wackos starting up the alert sirens now!

[Lx]

It also bodes ill for the prospect of fusion using helium-3, a rare helium isotope that is missing a neutron. Physicists have yet to achieve pure helium-3 fusion, but if they did, we’d have a clean, virtually infinite power source. Or so the theory goes.

So in other words, helium 3 fusion is twenty years in the future regardless of how much we have?

[Gaffer]

Truthfully? Instead of spending trillions for a moon base, I’d like to see effort exerted at removing SCHIP, SNAP, AFDC, EITC, SSI, SSDI, Section 8, and providing substantive and results-oriented judgement at getting our leeches off subsistence. We CANNOT do both.

[hoosiermama]

Newt mentioned on Greta last night that the moon had water. That to transport water from the moon would be easier due to the gravity resistance, if we were indeed working space.

[digger48]

Mining the moon ..... I can hear the enviro-wackos starting up the alert sirens now!

It might threaten the habitat of the Barking Moonbat.

[cripplecreek]

Better add at least 10 years on top of that while we try to extricate ourselves from the outer space treaty.

[NordP]

I’m sorry, I LIKE the fact that innovative ideas MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE to become reality again.

[Lx]

I forgot about that. What is the deal, no commercial exploitation of space except for satellites and a space station?

Of course we would be the only ones to honor the agreement.

[G Larry]

Cost/Benefit???

No way bringing He back from the moon would ever be cost effective.

[Adder]

Give the leeches jobs on the moon.
Problems solved.

[2nd Amendment]

I am all for Newt’s moonbase. Especially if we can get them to vote Republican. With millions of illegals coming across our borders and lining up to vote democrat, we need all the votes we can get!

[Fido969]

Helium is used for arc welding and leak detection, mostly, although NASA uses it to pressurize space shuttle fuel tanks. Liquid helium cools infrared detectors, nuclear reactors, and the superconducting magnets used in MRI machines, too.

It also makes you talk like Donald Duck.

[Lockbox]

Mining the moon ..... I can hear the enviro-wackos starting up the alert sirens now!

But mining the Moon would endanger all the plants and animals. /S

[cripplecreek]

I would have been a lot more impressed if Gingrich had promised to get us out of the outer space treaty and give industry the go ahead to claim tracts of land and asteroids in space if they can put feet on them and utilize them.

I’m OK with funding NASA as a pure exploration, pathfinding, and prospecting agency in the manner of Lewis and Clark.

If liberals really wanted to save the earth, they would be screaming for the industrialization of space. What better way to end metals mining on earth than mining metal rich asteroids. What better way to get rid of industrial pollution and waste than manufacturing in space.

[katiedidit1]

Saving this! thanks for a great find.

[taildragger]

Having grown up within 1/2 hr distance wise from a major supplier to the Apollo Program, we were alway told of what came out of the space program as commerical spin offs, via local media.

Tang, heart monitors, Velcro, advances in printed circuitry (that may have lead to the microchip when you think of it), to name 4 of them.

The point is Newt is siting "helium" but he needs to get more macro about the life changing commerical spin offs that will come from pushing the envelope of science to meet the goals of this mission.

He is right, I am not sure he is selling it properly.

[sit-rep]

if this is true, it’s incredible. I support the idea!

[tsowellfan]

I can hear the enviro-wackos starting up the alert sirens now!

If GITMO's off limits to them how much influence could they have on the moon.