NASA planned for the lunar outpost and many other space agencies are trying to reach the final front but lunar missions are not just to take the man back to the moon. The lunar outpost will be another step in the direction to venture towards Mars. Whenever we start seriously considering human missions back to the moon and Mars in an economical way with reuse potential, nuclear always comes to the foreground. For many odd years, nuclear has been a dirty word, even in space transportation but the fact is that nuclear power can get human-crewed missions to the moon, Mars and elsewhere in the solar system faster, safer and cheaper than any other alternatives.

Moon base announced by NASA last week could pave the way for deeper space exploration to Mars, but one of the biggest beneficiaries may be the terrestrial energy industry. Mining the moon for helium-3 has been discussed widely in space circles and international space conferences. Both China and Russia have stated their nations’ interest in helium-3 and India is looking forward to such fuel with its ever-increasing demand for energy. With global warming and energy crises set to strike within the next half century, and among predictions that the problem, if left for even two or three more years, could in the close future spark a recession the likes of which have not been seen since 1900, it seems He-3 may be a valuable source of energy.

As moon has enough He-3 to satisfy the world’s energy demand for several hundred years it is, obvious that lunar mission will become a main concern to every nation in a few years from now and it is not at all wrong to say that whoever first conquers the moon will benefit first.

Though the Moon has abundant supplies of He-3, however, still a lot has to be done in terms of technological advances as He-3 is very hard to extract, as meteorites impacting with the surface of the Moon have churned up the surface. Hopefully, we will see environmental friendly fuel as it doesn’t produce greenhouse emissions soon being harnessed on the lunar surface and that means we are looking for a long-term economical and safe form of energy.

Via: Wired