Mining the moon. It's a topic that comes up fairly regularly, the idea being that we can extract minerals from the moon.
But is it really feasible? Let's look at some of the arguments.
The idea to mine the moon and then bring the minerals back to Earth seems pretty unlikely.
The major issue is just the sheer cost. To launch equipment from Earth into a low orbit costs around $20,000 per kilogram.
Taking it to the moon would be even more expensive. And then you'd need to ship everything back from the moon. The cost would be far too high.
One of the big arguments for mining the moon is the presence of helium-3, an isotope of helium which could be theoretically used in nuclear fusion reactors.
However, the supplies on the moon are variable, with concentrations in the parts per billion range.
Considerable areas would need to be mined to power just one city for a year. And just like fossil fuels on Earth, once you mine them, they're gone.
So they're probably not a long-term solution.
However, what if we use the minerals on the moon? On the moon. That's one idea developing at the moment.
Given the expense of launching things into space from Earth, there are proposals that future space exploration departs from the moon.
That way, minerals mined on the moon could be refined and used right there, saving us from having to transport materials from Earth.
This would mean building a base complete with factories and everything else needed to establish a lunar space industry.
When it comes to mining the moon in the short term, I'm yet to be convinced. But look, as technology develops in the future, who knows what might happen.
I'm really excited to find out. And now, four fast facts about minerals on the moon.
The Apollo Moon Program brought back around 380 kilograms of moon rocks. These revealed much about the geology and formation of the moon.
Technology developed for mining on Earth is wildly unsuited for mining the low-gravity moon.
A complete rethink of mining technology and techniques will be required.
Tranquilityite, a mineral previously only ever found on the moon, was recently also discovered in the Western Australian Outback.
Another possibility is converting moon ice into hydrogen and oxygen, which can then be used as rocket fuel at kind of a lunar petrol station.
This seems the most realistic in the short term.
Want to find out more about mining the moon?
Drill into our website where we've got some links. And we'll catch you right back here next week.
www.mooji.org
