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Old December 14th 04, 09:51 AM
Nick Hull
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Default Ion engines and He3

I was reading in Popular Mechanics about a harebrained scheme to mine
the He3 from the moon to provide nuclear electricity for the earth. The
rough guesses were that mining 1 sq mile of the moon might yield 200# of
He3 which should provide electricity for Detroit for a year.

Thinking back on the idea, it might be too expensive for earth power but
might be ideal for a spaceship, especially a large manned spaceship.
Unlimited electrical power would make ion drive practical and the lack
of a rrequirement for a heavy radiation shield would be a huge bonus.

How well researched is the He3 reactor idea? Is there enough He3 on
earth to build a working He3 reactor? Is the reactor laser activated?

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