https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14750213/retired-general-warning-china-mining-moon-helium-3.html

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A retired Air Force general has warned that China is mining a rare and powerful element from the moon that could give them the upper hand in the new space race.

China confirmed its plans to build a nuclear plant on the moon to power the research station it's 'dreaming up' with Russia during an April presentation.

The country aims to become a major space power and land astronauts on the moon by 2030. Its planned Chang'e-8 mission for 2028 would lay the groundwork for constructing a permanent, manned lunar base.

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However, Steven Kwast, a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General and the CEO of SpaceBilt, claimed China has already started mining helium-3 from the moon.

Helium-3 is a rare form of the gas helium on Earth, but NASA estimates that a million tons of it is on the moon.

Scientists believe helium-3 could provide nuclear energy in a fusion reactor, but since it is not radioactive, it would not produce dangerous waste.

Kwast warned during a recent episode of the Shawn Ryan Show that if China monopolizes the element, they could have enough power to crack any computer code.

'If we were to mine the moon for helium-3, at the current level of electricity use... we could power the energy needs of the human race for thousands of years based on the helium-3 that's on the moon right now,' Kwast said.

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'Let's take the scenario where China now has enough helium-3 as they're mining it on the moon and bringing it back to Earth to be able to power the entire world for thousands of years.

'They are the ones that can actually operationalize quantum because they can cool it down to the temperature it needs to actually operate.'

Kwast explained that helium-3 can be used to control the quantum cooling needed for advance technology, and whoever controls it will be able to break any code on the planet.

'When you start combining those three quantum capabilities - sensing, computing, communication - and you can affordably cool it down to the levels where it can be operationalized, now you've broken every code that ever was. I don't care how good your encryption is. They see every secret, every code, everything,' Kwast said.

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Admittedly, I never even knew about Helium-3 and I damn sure wasn't aware of it's potential with fusion and quantum computing. That said, I know that there is probably several of people in here that are very familiar and educated on it's potential. I'd just like to read what your opinions are.

All I'll say is that make sure you're not in a public place or near your wife/kids when you search Wikipedia for helium 3.

I think i first read about helium3 and fusion a decade or two ago but I think its been known much much longer than that, perhaps back in the 1950s or 60s I want to say

But we don't have much at all on earth so it didn't matter due to cost to mine it.

I would think if anyone its Musk that's best prepared to actually mine it, assuming we can use it for fusion

If that Wikipedia image is accurate, it's no surprise we wanna be all up in helium 3.

If we get fusion working i can see a H3 gold rush on the moon.

As I recall, what makes H3 better is its not as hard on the reactor walls, or something like that.


Also as far as mining on the moon it would not take a super complex mining machine because helium 3 is just laying on the surface in the regolith. So a giant scooper shovel that can load into a return ship

Our magnetic field between us and the sun prevents it from laying around on the ground on earth

So you are telling me China is successfully landing on the moon, mining helium, and bringing it back to Earth in a large enough scale for any meaningful testing?
I call BS

JuneBug07 said:

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So you are telling me China is successfully landing on the moon, mining helium, and bringing it back to Earth in a large enough scale for any meaningful testing?
I call BS

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Yeah that's my thought. I can't see it being economical as a fuel on earth but absolutely viable for large scale lunar habitation. China might be able to get some samples but to get enough to run a reactor (even just a test reactor)? No way they have those capabilities now or any time in the near future.

It will be extracted by Lunartics.

JuneBug07 said:

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So you are telling me China is successfully landing on the moon, mining helium, and bringing it back to Earth in a large enough scale for any meaningful testing?
I call BS

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I don't believe they're actively mining right now, but I do believe that they're rapidly developing a way to quickly. If Helium-3 is the answer to fusion reactors, then we need to get to it first.

Inert Pronouns

Fusion is decades away.

lead said:

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Fusion is decades away.

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Always...

Fusion is a mirage invoked to distract the public from cheap, simple, fission. If they didn't keep reminding us that fission spent fuel is dirty, we would have dozens of nuclear power plants built every decade.

bobbranco said:

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lead said:

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Fusion is decades away.

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Always...

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Same with quantum computing - but that doesn't stop the snake oil from pump and dumps

If we build that elevator to the moon, we could literally open a helium 3 convenience store. Back to the Future said we'd have plutonium in stores by now. I have my share of plutonium at home.

Well, SOMEONE'S been watching "For All Mankind"!

Long live Jamestown Base!

Brother Shamus said:

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bobbranco said:

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lead said:

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Fusion is decades away.

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Always...

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Same with quantum computing - but that doesn't stop the snake oil from pump and dumps

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and string theory, its dead as well but the grift continues.

&f=1&ipt=e94bb8716de0db36070c8532a02ae7226c50b677bae587860eee25eb5b3fa1bd

Wake me up when they find dilithium crystals

Do you want replicants?

Because this is how you get replicants.

I think it would have to be mined and refined on the moon in order to be used on Earth.

The article stated China had already started mining it. Which is easy on the moon.

The article did not state they had brought it back to earth.

China and Russia might be able to put a nuke reactor into operation on the moon in 10 or so years.

Bringing it back here though after mining it, economically, in usable quantities…I predict won't happen in my lifetime. Getting to/from the moon takes almost as much delta-V I have read as going to mars. The Russians would have almost no capabilities to give/add to the Chinese, as well (they haven't built a new/modern rocket since the 60's, in truth). Neither have contemplated any near term plans to refuel while in orbit, either.

Kwast did an episode on Shawn Ryan talking about all this stuff

Atreides Ornithopter said:

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The article stated China had already started mining it. Which is easy on the moon.

The article did not state they had brought it back to earth.

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Now you have my attention……….

****ing Chyna! Are they claiming the moon is theirs for mining?

B-1 83 said:

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Atreides Ornithopter said:

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The article stated China had already started mining it. Which is easy on the moon.

The article did not state they had brought it back to earth.

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Now you have my attention……….

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A robot with a broom and a dustpan. They just sweep it up off the surface and pour it into the bin for transport back to earth.

Hi Bob

I am starting a company to build a pipe line from the moon to Earth for transporting the Helium III back to earth. I will only need 100 billion dollars to get this company off the ground. Your investment will make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. This is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the next exploration. Please send the money to my Swiss bank account. Fun times.
The hardest working man in the Helium III business.
Mr Aggieterri

This sounds like fear mongering to me. It's simply too cost prohibitive for anyone.

Tough day to be a woman. Finding out the future is gonna be He instead of She.

The Chinese are going to do all of this but they've never landed a man on the moon? This sounds like the kind of fear mongering we had about the Soviets in the Cold War or even about the Japanese during the 80s. We always overstate our rivals strength and technological capabilities.

Remind anyone else of the book Red Rising?

Aggieterri said:

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I am starting a company to build a pipe line from the moon to Earth for transporting the Helium III back to earth. I will only need 100 billion dollars to get this company off the ground. Your investment will make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. This is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the next exploration. Please send the money to my Swiss bank account. Fun times.
The hardest working man in the Helium III business.
Mr Aggieterri

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Will you also be protecting democracy?

You will have so much funding, if so.