Exploring the Moon and extracting resources from this celestial body is the goal of many countries, including China.
According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), on December 1, 2020, the Chang’e 5 spacecraft successfully landed on the Moon.
By December 17, 2020, the Chang’e 5 spacecraft returned to Earth, bringing back 1,731 grams of precious lunar soil and rock samples collected from the Moon’s surface.
Simulation of the Chang’e 5 landing module operating on the Moon’s surface. (Photo: CGTN).
Although this number may seem small, it is significant given that lunar research has previously been conducted on just 0.5 grams of lunar soil.
After over a year of research and analysis, Chinese researchers have made substantial findings. Experts discovered a rare substance present in lunar soil. Notably, the energy derived from 100 tons of this fuel could potentially supply the entire world for one year.
So, what is this rare fuel, and what are its specific applications?
According to a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, some lunar soil particles are covered with glass-like crystals and contain Helium-3.
Helium-3 is a very scarce element on Earth, with an estimated reserve of only about 0.5 tons. In contrast, researchers estimate that there may be at least 1 million tons of Helium-3 on the Moon.
Experts suggest that each ton of Helium-3 could be worth over 3 billion USD. This is indeed a staggering figure.
Why does Earth only have 0.5 tons, while the Moon possesses reserves of Helium-3 amounting to 1 million tons? Even though they are very close, why is there such a significant discrepancy between the two celestial bodies?
Researchers explain that Helium-3 primarily comes from solar wind. Because Earth is protected by its magnetic field and atmosphere, solar wind has difficulty reaching the ground, leading to a very low reserve of Helium-3.
Meanwhile, the Moon lacks a magnetic field and atmosphere. Furthermore, solar wind can directly impact the surface of the Moon. As a result, Helium-3 embedded in the upper layer of lunar soil is preserved. Therefore, it is not surprising that the reserves of this rare fuel on the Moon far exceed those on Earth.
So, what are the applications of Helium-3?
Helium-3 is a rare gas on Earth but abundant on the Moon.
With current technology, Helium-3 is considered the most ideal fusion fuel. Helium-3 is an isotope of the element helium and can be used in nuclear fusion reactions to provide humanity with a massive energy source.
The following example illustrates Helium-3 as an enormous energy source, which is why China aims to harness this fuel.
Specifically, a power plant with an annual electricity generation capacity of 1 million kilowatts would require 2 million tons of coal for thermal power generation. In contrast, a nuclear power plant using nuclear fission technology would only need 300,000 tons of fuel. In reality, a fusion power plant would only require 0.6 tons of nuclear fuel.
Moreover, the energy produced in this manner is truly clean energy, as it does not produce neutrons during the nuclear fusion process and carries no risk of secondary radiation. This is in stark contrast to current nuclear power plants, which generate significant amounts of nuclear waste requiring complicated post-processing.
Currently, China is positioned as a leading nation in applying nuclear fusion technology in practice. In late December 2021, at the Institute of Plasma Physics, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the country’s superconducting Tokamak reactor (also known as an artificial sun) maintained plasma at a temperature of 70 million degrees Celsius for up to 1,056 seconds. This duration represents the longest continuous maintenance of superheated plasma among all Tokamak reactors worldwide.
This establishes a solid foundation for the potential operation of an industrial-scale fusion reactor in the future. Once this technology can be commercialized, Helium-3 will indeed have a viable application.
The Race for Helium-3 Extraction Between China and the USA
According to scientists’ estimates, two shuttles filled with Helium-3 in their cargo hold (approximately 40 tons of gas) could provide energy for the entire United States for one year, based on current consumption rates.
Professor Ouyang Ziyuan, a scientist involved in China’s Lunar Exploration Program, stated that the Moon contains vast amounts of Helium-3, and the supply of this rare fuel could meet humanity’s energy needs for at least 10,000 years.
Helium-3 extraction is believed to solve the world’s energy “problem.” (Photo: ORF)
According to Tim Chrisman, a former space analyst for the CIA, being the first to achieve Helium-3 extraction could be regarded as akin to the first satellite launch in the space race between Russia and the USA.
However, this victory heavily depends on how Helium-3 can be extracted. Specifically, if this fuel can be quickly utilized for power and energy or safely returned to Earth, it opens up potential for significant changes.
In practice, as of August 2021, researcher Huang Zhizin from the Science and Technology Department of the Uranium Geology Research Institute in Beijing noted that the primary objective of studying lunar soil and rock samples collected by Chang’e 5 is to determine the Helium-3 content in lunar soil. Particularly, the extraction parameters for Helium-3 indicate how we can extract helium at certain temperatures and how this rare fuel is bonded to lunar soil.
On the American side, Solar System Resources has also signed a contract to supply 500 kg of Helium-3 from the Moon to the American Nuclear Corporation between 2028 and 2032.
The existence of Helium-3 on the Moon is not a new discovery. Instead, since the mid-20th century, humanity has been aware of this “treasure” on the Moon. However, at that time, scientists generally believed that Helium-3 was tightly bound with lunar soil particles and could only be extracted with temperatures exceeding 700 degrees Celsius.
The challenge lies in transporting an environment with such high temperatures to the Moon, which is beyond the reach of current technology.
Although extraction conditions have become easier than before, current technology still makes large-scale extraction very difficult, as Helium-3 is very sparsely distributed on the Moon’s surface. Large-scale Helium-3 extraction is certainly not a matter of overnight success.
Nevertheless, major countries like the USA and China are still striving to excel in the race to extract Helium-3 from the Moon.
Source reference: Asiantimes, ESA
