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INTERLUNE Concept for Helium-3 Fusion Development

by Harrison H. Schmitt, Wisconsin Cent for Space Automation, and Robotics, Albuquerque, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space III

Abstract:

Many considerations suggest that in the 21st Century, deuterium/helium-3 (D-³He) fusion will be the electricity generation system of choice to replace fossil fuels (Kulcinski and Schmitt, 1987). The next major development in space law may come when humans and nations return to the moon to produce helium-3 and its by-products from the lunar regolith. The INTERLUNE proposal of Joyner and Schmitt (1985) suggests that an INTELSAT or INMARSAT management model could be appropriately extended to lunar enterprises. Examination of INTERLUNE in the specific context of the development of both commercial helium-3 fusion technology and lunar helium-3 provides additional insights into its viability as a management approach and into appropriate modifications of that approach.

Subject Headings: Space colonies | Resource management | Moon | Lunar materials | Space exploration | Regolith | Power plants

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