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Using Helium- 3 as a fusion fuel for starships

Combat Arms
2869 Grove Way
Castro Valley, CA 94546-6709
Telephone: Store (415) 538-6544
Computerized BBS (415) 537-1777
November 3, 1990


ASTROFUEL

WHO: In 1986, the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and
Robotics (WCSAR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
conceived the idea of mining and using Astrofuel from the
Moon. The center, one of 16 NASA Centers for the Commercial
Development of Space (CCDS), is well-positioned to manage
this project because of the university's already-existing
fusion, space and life support research programs.

NASA's Office of Commercial Programs established the CCDS
program in 1985 as a way to encourage the private sector to
invest in commercially feasible technologies. Under the
program, NASA provides seed money to its designated centers,
which, in turn, find corporate affiliates to help study the
commercial promise of certain technologies. It is
anticipated that these partnerships will create new
companies, new services and new products.

The university began its fusion program in 1963 and has
since granted 186 Ph.D.s in fusion-related topics. In
addition to experimental and theoretical physics research,
UW-Madison's Fusion Technology Institute (FTI) has finished
22 fusion reactor designs and has more than 200 man years of
fusion-related experience.

The university's Space Science and Engineering Program for
the past 20 years has contributed to weather satellites,
lunar material research and orbital mechanics.

In addition, the school is well-known for its closed-cycle
food growth and atmosphere control research, another area
that the center supports.

Currently, more than 40 student, faculty and scientific
staff members are working on the center's space-related
activities in the areas of automation and robotics, space-
grown food and, of course, Astrofuel.

WHAT: Helium-3, which the center has dubbed Astrofuel, is the fuel
source that would drive the fusion reactor powerplants and
rockets of the 21st century. It is a form of the element helium
and is very rare on Earth. In the early 1970s, astronauts
discovered quantities of it on the lunar surface. It originated
from the sun and was carried to the Moon via solar wind.

When combined in a fusion reactor with a form of hydrogen
extracted from water, 1 ton of Astrofuel can supply the
electrical needs of a city of about 10 million people.
Researchers have concluded there is enough helium-3 on the
Moon theoretically to provide the Earth's energy needs for
at least 1,000 years with extensions of existing technology.

WHERE: Based on past experience, researchers have concluded that the Sea
of Tranquility would be the best target for initial
investigations. This one area appears to contain many tons of
mineable helium-3. Backup sites include the vicinity of Mare
Serenitatis sampled during Apollo 17 and Mare Imbrium, which was
remotely sensed.

WHY: Thermonuclear fusion, particularly the deuterium and helium-
3 fuel cycle, is environmentally, technically and
economically attractive. Researchers know that if brought to
a commercial product, it would have a major impact on the
world.

Currently, 90 percent of the world's primary energy supply
comes from fossil fuel-driven sources, which pollute the
environment. The remaining source is fission energy, which
has its own set of environmental problems. Through fusion,
energy is released in a form that can be converted to
electricity, with efficiencies of 60-70 percent. In
comparison, power plants fueled by coal, nuclear fission or
other sources are 30 percent to 40 percent efficient.

Helium-3 itself produces no radioactive isotopes. In
addition, the helium-3 fuel cycle contains no radioactive
isotopes. Researchers say that even under the worst
accident, no meltdown would occur. At the end of its life,
the reactor can be disassembled and disposed of as low-
level nuclear waste.

By-products of lunar mining also would support space
settlements. The process of mining helium-3 would produce
nitrogen, methane, helium, water, carbon-oxygen compounds
and hydrogen. They would permit food growth, establishment
of a contained atmosphere and development of a water supply
for thousands of lunar inhabitants.

WHEN: Scientists predict that helium-3-powered plants could become a
reality by the early 21st century, provided research continues on
the development of a fusion reactor.

HOW: Researchers are studying designs for a solar-powered robotic
vehicle that would scoop up the lunar soil to a depth of
about 6 feet, size the particles less than 100 microns in
diameter and then heat the substance, removing the helium-
3. Other byproducts, such as helium, nitrogen, water,
methane, carbon-oxygen compounds, also would be collected.
According to one architecture, the spent material would then
be dropped off the back of the miner and the helium-3 would
be transported to Earth.

- end -

ED NOTE: The name Astrofuel is a registered trademark of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison.
 
To the best of our knowledge, the text on this page may be freely reproduced and distributed.
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