UPDATED 06:59 EDT / FEBRUARY 11 2014

NASA just made moon mining a real possibility

origin_4548378501We’ve heard enthusiastic talk of space asteroid mining missions before, but these ambitious plans could be one step closer to becoming a reality after NASA announced that it’s began accepting applications from private enterprises to fund such missions in return for access to the moon’s resources.

If there’s one thing that we’ve learned from science fiction, it’s that financial gain is one of the biggest driving forces behind space exploration. And the moon could potentially inspire the first lunar ‘gold rush’ for an element known as helium-3, which could one day revolutionize the energy industry.

NASA’s project is known as CATALYST (Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown), and will be entirely dependent on private sector financing. The idea is that NASA will work with private companies like Virgin Galactic to develop (relatively) affordable methods of transport to and from the moon. Companies that fund the project could be given first dibs at extracting minerals from the moon, whilst helping to expedite new exploration and science missions on the lunar surface.

The project is NASA’s way of getting around never-ending cutbacks in its budget. In the future, the agency is expected to outsource more of its work to commercial entities, in return for its expertise.

Moon Mining

 

Anyone who can return to the moon would stand to make an absolute fortune. Among the valuable minerals scientists believe can be extracted from its surface is helium-3, an element that’s incredibly rare on Earth. When combined with deuterium, a so-called ‘heavy hydrogen’ that’s abundant in our oceans, helium-3 becomes a very effective fuel for nuclear fusion that could potentially revolutionize the energy industry, affording us clean energy for very little cost.

One of the biggest proponents of moon mining has been Naveen Jain, the founder of Moon Express, a space company that’s also competing for the Google Lunar X Prize and the chance to extract minerals from the lunar surface.

In an interview with Wired.com last year, Jain pointed out that humans already possess the technology and the experience to reach the moon. After all, NASA did just that more than forty years ago – now throw in the financial resources of believers like him, and there’s little to stop us from returning.

“We fight over minerals and fuel here on Earth,” said Jain.

“All those things are plentiful in space. We must be able to create more of what we need and change to a mindset of abundance rather than one of scarcity.”

Naveen Jain1

Naveen Jain, founder of Moon Express

Jain outlined Moon Express’ plan to Wired, saying that it intends to use the moon as a kind of fuel depot, extracting water and other resources to use as fuel whilst shuttling back and forth to the Earth. He adds that just one load of lunar minerals could be worth “billions of dollars”.

“That starts to be very intreating — I don’t care what people say. That’s a shit load of money,” he declared.

Moon Express isn’t the only enterprise interested in reaching for the stars. Bigelow Aerospace also has designs on the Earth’s only major satellite, and has plans to build several lunar bases on its surface. It’s previously worked with NASA to help resupply the International Space Station, and is currently developing the Orion Lite lunar capsule to transport astronauts to the moon.

Speaking to AFP recently, Bigelow Aerospace’s Michael Gold said that private-sector funding was the only realistic way we could pursue further space exploration.

“in this austere (budget) environment, it only makes sense to leverage private-sector investments and capabilities. It’s not only the best option, but, because of the lack of federal money, the best option available to move forward drastically,” Gold said.

800px-Bigelow_Aerospace_facilities

Bigelow Aerospace has already designed modules for a lunar base

Space exploration is a mindset

 

Now, with NASA finally stepping into the fray and offering its expertise in return for the cash it so desperately needs, there’s no reason to think we can’t see some real progress within out lifetimes. After all, we’ve been there before – who’s to say that with the right kind of motivation (money), it can’t be done again?

“The biggest challenge has been believing it can be done,” said Jain to Wired.

“It’s a mindset. It’s also the reason science fiction is such a good thing — [it inspires us to] make imagination reality. I really believed people when they said the sky’s the limit — but mum forgot to tell you there’s no such thing as sky. You need imagination when you go to Moon, and if you can imagine it you can do it.”

Main image credit: Shurik_13 via photopin cc.
Naveen Jain via Naveenjain.com.
Bigelow Aerospace facilities via NASA/Bill Ingalls

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