India hopes to tap Helium from Moon for its energy needs by 2030
20 Feb 2017
India may be able to meet all its energy requirements from resources mined from the Moon by 2030, according to scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), which is planning to mine the Moon for its rich resources.
Dr Sivathanu Pillai, a professor at the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), believes that the Moon has enough Helium trapped within that can be effectively mined to meet our energy requirements.
Elaborating on Isro's future programmes, Pillai, who was formerly the chief of BrahMos Aerospace, said all of India's energy requirements could be met through Helium 3 mined from the Moon.
"By 2030, this process target will be met," he said while delivering the valedictory address at the three-day ORF-Kalpana Chawla Space Policy Dialogue, organised by Observer Research Foundation here on Saturday.
Mining lunar dust, which is rich in Helium 3, is a priority programme for Isro, he said, adding that other countries are also working on this project and that there was enough Helium in the Moon to meet the energy requirements of the whole world.
He said that Isro was planning the whole of process of mining Helium from the Moon, producing energy and transporting it back to earth.
Pillai also said that creating low-cost access to the Moon and developing multi-purpose and reusable vehicles would help in a big when it comes to intra-planetary mining and space tourism.
"In (a) few decades, people will be going to (the) Moon for honey-moon," he said.
The lunar dirt brought back by the first moonwalkers contained an abundance of titanium, platinum and other valuable minerals.
But the most valuable of these is Helium 3, a substance that could could revolutionise energy production.
Helium 3, scientists aver, could power clean fusion plants. Two fully-loaded Space Shuttle cargo bay's worth - about 40 tonnes - could power the United States for a year at the current rate of energy consumption.
Pillai said Isro is also working on fusion energy ITER, adding that a seven-nation consortium was working on mastering fusion technology.
