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By one estimate, the solar wind has deposited more than 1 million tons of helium-3 (3 He) on the Moon's surface. [62] Materials on the Moon's surface contain helium-3 at concentrations estimated between 1.4 and 15 parts per billion (ppb) in sunlit areas, [1] [63] [64] and may contain concentrations as much as 50 ppb in permanently shadowed ...
Geological studies of the Moon are based on a combination of Earth-based telescope observations, measurements from orbiting spacecraft, lunar samples, and geophysical data. . Six locations were sampled directly during the crewed Apollo program landings from 1969 to 1972, which returned 382 kilograms (842 lb) of lunar rock and lunar soil to Earth [8] In addition, three robotic Soviet Luna ...
Helium-3 (3 He [1] [2] see also helion) is a light, stable isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron. (In contrast, the most common isotope, helium-4, has two protons and two neutrons.) Helium-3 and protium (ordinary hydrogen) are the only stable nuclides with more protons than neutrons. It was discovered in 1939.
The Moon's surface contains helium-3 at concentrations on the order of 10 ppb, much higher than the approximately 5 ppt found in the Earth's atmosphere. [117] [118] A number of people, starting with Gerald Kulcinski in 1986, [119] have proposed to explore the Moon, mine lunar regolith, and use the helium-3 for fusion.
The same vehicle could deliver back to Earth, among other cargo, resources including helium 3 mined from the moon. Its 150-ton capacity could make it the perfect vehicle to create the first trade ...
be re-implanted into the regolith as a result of the Moon's gravity; escape the Moon entirely if the particle is moving at or above the lunar escape velocity of 2.38 km/s (1.48 mi/s), or 5,328 mph (8,575 km/h); be lost to space either by solar radiation pressure or, if the gases are ionized, by being swept away in the solar wind's magnetic field.
Helium is an important resource for many applications, especially MRI machines, but the gas is hard to come by on planet Earth. ... a new deposit in Minnesota could be the biggest in the world and ...
Resolution of this issue will require future missions to the Moon. The potential presence of water suggests that the crater floor could be "mined" for deposits of hydrogen in water form, a commodity that is expensive to deliver directly from the Earth. This crater has also been proposed as a future site for a large infrared telescope. [24]