It could be the last hurrah before the crash. Bush is following the pattern of both napoleon and hitler. In the end, both their hands proved to be too short. On the other hand,
Enter Astrofuel, as Helium-3 or He3 has come to be known, which was discovered on the moon in 1969 when American astronauts first arrived, although the link between the isotope and lunar resources was not made until 1986. Scientists describe it as the most efficient known source of power, because 99 percent of the energy can be released as charged particles and thus be converted into electricity with greater efficiency. The level of radioactivity is so low that a complete reactor meltdown would not spread radioactive particles. And the reactor could be dismantled at the end of its useful life to be disposed of like any other ordinary median instruments.
The Center for Space Automation and Robotics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison first conceived the idea of mining Astrofuel from the Moon in 1986. The center, one of 16 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-funded facilities for the commercial development of space, is positioned to manage the project because of the university's already existing fusion, space and life support research program.
Researchers at Madison say they are certain that He3, an isotope of helium with one less neutron than helium itself, could replace fossil fuels. While it is rare on earth, it is available in large quantities on the moon. One tonne, they say, could supply the energy needs of a city of 10 million people when combined in a fusion reactor with a form of hydrogen extracted from water. It is hardly difficult to thus imagine the impact that Astrofuel could have on world energy supplies.
The extremely high power density means that only 28 tonnes of Astrofuel, approximately the payload of the current US Space Shuttle, could supply the entire electrical demand of the US for a year. Even at a selling price of US$1 billion per tonne, the energy cost would be equivalent to oil at $7 a barrel. Unfortunately, the space shuttle is not at this time configured to fly to the moon, and a new space vehicle would have to be developed.
The nation that develops the technology to retrieve Astrofuel could thus find itself in a commanding economic and strategy position in this century. The US already has the research and resource lead for recovery. While some He3 is available on earth, the quantity is not sufficient to be exploited commercially. The US strategic reserve amounts to only 29 kg, with another 187 kg mixed up with natural gas. By contrast, the moon has an estimated reserve of 1.1 billion tonnes of He3 that has been deposited by the solar wind.
The commercial viability of Astrofuel was determined by the Wisconsin?s University Research Center in 1987, a year after its discovery. In 1987 prices, it was found that the US spends $40 billion annually to buy coal, oil, natural gas and uranium to produce electricity. For the megawatt volume of electricity for one year, the US might need to import one spacecraft load of fuel at a cost of $25 billion - about a fourth of the price of crude today at the aforementioned $7 per barrel.
Obviously, billions of dollars would be required or research and development by participating countries and would involve the development of many technologies that currently remain to be created. Foremost among them are superconducting magnets, plasma control and diagnostics, robotically controlled mining equipment, life support facilities, rocket launch vehicles, telecommunications, power electronics, etc. Though the investment seems astronomical, compared to the benefit derived, the justification seems more than adequate.
For one thing, the developed world would no longer be held hostage to the Middle East, where the preponderance of the world?s fossil fuel reserves are located. American scientists have already declared that the moon could be the Persian Gulf of the present century. Two liters of He3 would do the work of more than 1,000 tons of coal.
And who would own this real estate? No doubt, the only affordable source of energy would be completely dominated by American industries. With the collapse of the USSR, Russia?s space program has largely disappeared. The Chinese, who only launched their first man into space last month, are well behind in the race. India, with its fledgling space program even less-developed, is even further behind. The Euroland space program is hardly oriented towards anything beyond launching commercial earth satellites.
It is thus possible that every member of the United Nations could be forced to stand in a queue to receive a quota of fuel fixed by Uncle Sam. All discussion about energy security would take a back seat. The UN will discuss everything, but its members would go on waiting for their quota to arrive. Astrofuel would decide politics, economics and the world order.
The technology to harness He3 as an energy source is a continuing process in the laboratories of the US universities. Miniaturization of He3-driven reactors would take an immense role in the new world order.
Dr Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri is a former professor of international relations at Oxford College in the UK and a guest professor of international relations at the London School of Economics & Political Science.
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