2030
India is shooting for the moon with its long-term energy goals. Literally.
As India gears up for its first space vehicle moon landing, professor Sivathanu Pillai with the Indian Space Research Organisation said the moon could supply enough energy to power all of India by 2030.
How? Through helium-rich lunar dust. India’s Chandarayaan-2 moon mission, slated for next year, plans to conduct soil analysis on the moon’s surface. The European Space Agency and NASA have also considered the prospects. Without the earth’s magnetic field, the Moon has been bombarded by Helium-3 from solar wind. Scientists think the isotope could provide safe, non-radioactive fuel for fusion reactors.
India has big plans within Earth’s solar system. The country is investing $70 million to launch a mission to Mars by 2030. Critics of the country’s space program point to India’s high levels of poverty and urgent socio-economic needs on earth. Proponents say space exploration will inspire technology innovation for the next generation of people in India and other developing countries.
Photo credit: India.com
