India prepares for lunar mission with He-3 on mind
By siliconindia   |   Monday, 22 September 2008, 17:27 IST
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Bangalore: If India's upcoming lunar mission Chandrayaan-I turns out a success, that would give an added heft to the country's nuclear initiatives. Indian space scientists expect to map the lunar surface for the helium-3 (He-3) mineral to fuel nuclear power plants as they make final preparations for the mission, which is tentatively scheduled for launch between October 19 and 28 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. In the recent past we have been witnessing political brains of the country fighting tooth and nail to get India specific export norms hammered out from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to reduce the gap between demand and supply of the nuclear energy in India. This political situation adds importance to the mission as non-radioactive He-3, which is scarce on earth but believed to be abundant on earth's natural satellite, is seen as a promising fuel for advanced fusion reactors to generate power. "The mission will help us locate He-3, which has the potential to produce a large amount of energy. It is expected that in a few years we can transport it from the moon to run nuclear plants and generate electricity," the director of the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) satellite centre T K Alex said. The 575-kg spacecraft, which will carry a total of 11 instruments, including six from India, two from the U.S. and one each from Bulgaria, Germany and the UK, will be transported to the moon by a modified version of India's main rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The satellite, which will orbit the moon from 100 km above, will jettison a 'moon impact probe' to slam into the lunar surface to help explore it from a close range. "Probably 10 years from now fusion reactors which can use He-3 will be available. Our second mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-II, will also have a lunar lander and help us collect samples of the mineral. The government has given clearance for Chandrayaan-II and we will start the mission as soon as Chandrayaan-I is completed," Chandrayaan project chief Mylswamy Annadurai said. Program Director (satellite navigation)Surendra Pal said a couple of tonnes of He-3 would be enough to meet the energy needs of the world.

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