Star Trek and Helium-3, Will Moon Mining Save the World?

Star Trek (2009)’s box office has already reached $80 million, received unanimously glowing reviews, as well as a few that might be over-the-top, such as the one that declared it is now cool to be a Trekkie. Now that space exploration is once again in the popular imagination, however, it might be useful to consider what, if any, contribution space science might be able bring to the energy, economic and environmental challenges that face mankind here on earth.

Many are probably aware that the earliest research with solar photovoltaics was a result of the space program. Some are no doubt aware that the monitoring of the effects of global warming would be considerably more haphazard and certainly less scientific without the use of satellite surveillance. Few, however, are likely aware that the Apollo 17 moon landing in 1972 revealed a potential alternative energy source that could provide almost unimaginable power production that would come with an almost neglible environmental risk. Best of all for Trekkies, exploitation of that resource would necessitate mining on the moon, a staple of sci-fi lure.

Read more