Moon Fueled Nuclear Moon Fueled Nuclear FusionFusion

Allen Jiang Allen Jiang PhD Student | King’s College London | RoboticsPhD Student | King’s College London | Robotics

Energy-Industrial ComplexEnergy-Industrial Complex

• Charcoal – Bronze Age (2000BC)Charcoal – Bronze Age (2000BC)• Coal – Industrial Revolution (1700s)Coal – Industrial Revolution (1700s)• Oil – Petroleum Age (1900s)Oil – Petroleum Age (1900s)• Nuclear Fission – Atomic Age (1950s)Nuclear Fission – Atomic Age (1950s)• Renewable Energy – Modern DayRenewable Energy – Modern Day

• What’s next?What’s next?

Fusion is the Fusion is the futurefuture

• Energy from active stars, the Energy from active stars, the most fundamental source of most fundamental source of energy in the universeenergy in the universe

• Counter to fission, it is clean Counter to fission, it is clean and safeand safe

• Extremely efficientExtremely efficient• Flexible and sustainableFlexible and sustainable

Heavy water, tritium, and helium-3

– Deuterium, heavy hydrogen, hydrogen-2, 2DDeuterium, heavy hydrogen, hydrogen-2, 2D• 1 Proton, 1 Neutron1 Proton, 1 Neutron• AbundantAbundant• Stable, non-radioactiveStable, non-radioactive

– Tritium, triton, hydrogen-3, 3TTritium, triton, hydrogen-3, 3T• 1 Proton, 2 Neutrons1 Proton, 2 Neutrons• Rare, 225 kg world supplyRare, 225 kg world supply• Radioactive, decays into Helium-3 (12-year half-life)Radioactive, decays into Helium-3 (12-year half-life)

– Helium-3, 3HeHelium-3, 3He• 2 Protons, 1 Neutron2 Protons, 1 Neutron• Rare (on Earth)Rare (on Earth)• Stable, non-radioactiveStable, non-radioactive

Current Technology: Current Technology: Deuterium + Tritium reaction -> 17.6 MeVDeuterium + Tritium reaction -> 17.6 MeV

Future Technology:Future Technology:Deuterium + Helium-3 reaction -> 18.3 Deuterium + Helium-3 reaction -> 18.3 MeV MeV Helium-3 + Helium-3 reaction -> 12.9 Helium-3 + Helium-3 reaction -> 12.9 MeVMeV

Current ProgressCurrent Progress

• International Thermonuclear International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)Experimental Reactor (ITER)– Tokamak construction began in 2010Tokamak construction began in 2010

• National Ignition Facility (NIF)National Ignition Facility (NIF)– Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLawrence Livermore National Laboratory– October 2010 testOctober 2010 test– 1.5 MJ delivered to target by laser1.5 MJ delivered to target by laser– 1.2 MJ required for fusion ignition (D-T)1.2 MJ required for fusion ignition (D-T)

The moonThe moon

• 1 million tons of He-3 on the lunar surface1 million tons of He-3 on the lunar surface• This amount will produce energy (D-He3) This amount will produce energy (D-He3)

which is 10 times the amount of all of which is 10 times the amount of all of Earth’s fossil fuels, and 2 times the Earth’s fossil fuels, and 2 times the amount of all of Earth’s uraniumamount of all of Earth’s uranium

MiningMining

• The 6 manned lunar landings brought The 6 manned lunar landings brought back over 380 kg of rocks and soilback over 380 kg of rocks and soil

• Bigelow Aerospace plans to launch itsBigelow Aerospace plans to launch itsBA 330 module in 2014BA 330 module in 2014

• NASA has NASA has completed work completed work on its new Space on its new Space Exploration VehicleExploration Vehicle

• NASA’s Robonaut 2NASA’s Robonaut 2is on board the ISS undergoing testingis on board the ISS undergoing testing

TransportTransport

• May 2010, NASA begins Project May 2010, NASA begins Project Morpheus, contracts Armadillo Morpheus, contracts Armadillo Aerospace for a lunar landerAerospace for a lunar lander

• November 2010, Ad Astra Rocket November 2010, Ad Astra Rocket Company runs test on VASIMR Company runs test on VASIMR (Variable Specific Impulse (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket)Magnetoplasma Rocket)

• April 2011, SpaceX announced the April 2011, SpaceX announced the Falcon HeavyFalcon Heavy

Cost effectivenessCost effectiveness

• The Apollo project cost $136 billion, The Apollo project cost $136 billion, and employed 400,000 peopleand employed 400,000 people

• NASA Apollo research provided a NASA Apollo research provided a 33% return on investment through 33% return on investment through direct economics boosts to the USAdirect economics boosts to the USA

• A world’s supply of He-3 would A world’s supply of He-3 would generate $300 billion per yeargenerate $300 billion per year

ChallengesChallenges

• Public is wary of nuclear proliferationPublic is wary of nuclear proliferation• Space travel is too expensiveSpace travel is too expensive• Energy today is already being Energy today is already being

fulfilledfulfilled

Big pictureBig pictureHarvesting the moon for Helium-3 will:Harvesting the moon for Helium-3 will:•Provide ample clean, safe energyProvide ample clean, safe energy•Create many new jobsCreate many new jobs•Advance research in new technologyAdvance research in new technology

““By exploring other worlds we safeguard this one. By By exploring other worlds we safeguard this one. By itself, I think this fact more than justifies the money our itself, I think this fact more than justifies the money our species has spent in sending ships to other worlds. It is species has spent in sending ships to other worlds. It is our fate to live during one of the most perilous and, at our fate to live during one of the most perilous and, at

the same time, one of the most hopeful chapters in the same time, one of the most hopeful chapters in human history.” human history.”

– Carl Sagan– Carl Sagan

Today, the foundation exists to Today, the foundation exists to achieve fusion, space travel, and achieve fusion, space travel, and

beyond.beyond.

References