A few years ago, there was an article in The Planetary Report, the magazine of the Planetary Society, discussing a return to the moon by the Japanese Space Agency for the explicit purpose of mining the Helium-3 that has been deposited on its surface by solar winds. H3 can be used in nuclear fusion, is non-radioactive and the load that would fit in a single shuttle would provide the energy needs of Tokyo for an entire year. An incentive for success if ever there was one.
A decade later, the Japanese are still Earth-bound and the Russians are planning a mining base on the moon by 2015 so that they can---you guessed it---mine H3 from the surface.
I'm a big believer that space will be conquered by corporations--not nations. Besides one-up-man-ship, there is no compelling reason for national governments to spend tax money on exploring space (at least not compelling to anyone but a true believer like me--and we don't rule the purse). However, there are very compelling reasons (read that 'big dollar signs with lots of trailing zeros') for corporations to head out into the big black. Right now, we're seeing that with Space Tourism, but before long we'll see other business moving off planet. Things like orbital solar farms, micro-gravity chemistry, mining resources from the asteroid belt and--yes--H3 mining on the moon can provide big returns for the company (or companies) willing to take the risks. I just hope I'm still alive to see the day that access to orbit is as common as access to Disney World.
But back to the Russians. Much as I'd like to believe that they're going to follow through on their plans, I have great doubts that they have the national will to spend the money necessary for such an operation to succeed when they're having so many domestic economic problems. Until their standard of living lets their people live the life that they've been 'promised' by democracy, I can't see them getting much backing. I wish them all the luck in the world, but I'm dubious.
Russia to open moonbase mine - World Breaking News - Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au
