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| Science & Technology |
| Japanese spacecraft finds Uranium on the moon |
| 2009-06-30 |
| Uranium exists on the moon, according to new data from a Japanese spacecraft. The findings are the first conclusive evidence for the presence of the radioactive element in lunar dirt, the researchers said. They announced the discovery recently at the 40th Lunar and Planetary Conference and at the Proceedings of the International Workshop Advances in Cosmic Ray Science. The revelation suggests that nuclear power plants could be built on the moon, or even that Earth's satellite could serve as a mining source for uranium needed back home. The Japanese Kaguya spacecraft, which was launched in 2007, detected uranium with a gamma-ray spectrometer. Scientists are using the instrument to create maps of the moon's surface composition, showing the presence of thorium, potassium, oxygen, magnesium, silicon, calcium, titanium and iron. "We've already gotten uranium results, which have never been reported before," said Robert Reedy, a senior scientist at the Tucson-based Planetary Science Institute, and a member of the Kaguya science team. "We're getting more new elements and refining and confirming results found on the old maps." The findings could help decide where to build future lunar colonies, since manned outposts will need energy, and could potentially derive it from nuclear power plants. Furthermore, since uranium supplies on Earth are scarce, mining uranium on the moon to satisfy our energy needs at home could prove lucrative. Kaguya, officially named SELENE ("Selenological and Engineering Explorer"), crashed into the lunar surface at the end of its mission on June 10. |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #15 D *** NG IT, BOYZ, I KNEW IT - WE'VE FOUND KING GHIDERA = MONSTER X [must inform GODZILLA]! |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-06-30 23:32 |
| #14 Publicity report babble. They're looking for He3 and won't release those findings. This century's gold rush started years ago when He3 was discovered in lunar samples collected by Apollo missions. www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/1283056.html?page=4 The first 'claim' to be worked for a return trip with a load is right around the corner...if they find what they're looking for. |
| Posted by: logi_cal 2009-06-30 22:23 |
| #13 Eric Jablow, 1999 was 10 years ago. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2009-06-30 19:22 |
| #12 Yeah, like Procopius2k said.... |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2009-06-30 12:22 |
| #11 Hans Blix to the moon! |
| Posted by: Lagom 2009-06-30 09:57 |
| #10 Now the only thing left to do is squeeze the moon small enough to achieve critical mass. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-06-30 08:51 |
| #9 There may be U on the moon, but I seriously doubt that there is very much of it or that it is concentrated enough to be economically feasible to mine. |
| Posted by: Spot 2009-06-30 08:36 |
| #8 Now, let's put a nuclear waste dump on the far side of the moon, and then we'll see what happens. Am I showing my age? |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2009-06-30 08:22 |
| #7 Japan has got the coolest little space program you've never heard of. Nice work, Kaguya! |
| Posted by: Mike 2009-06-30 07:37 |
| #6 Finally a place to send IAEA inspectors to, since they're of little or no use here on Earth. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-06-30 06:46 |
| #5 Good for them. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-06-30 05:12 |
| #4 Uranium isn't like food...you only need a few pounds of it to power a whole spacecraft. |
| Posted by: gromky 2009-06-30 05:03 |
| #3 Uranium is cheap enough on earth that we don't bother recycling the stuff in this country, even though it would help the nuclear waste problem substantially. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2009-06-30 01:00 |
| #2 Super. Just as the Space Shuttle goes out of service, and just as China is ramping up its manned space flight program. Damn. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2009-06-30 00:29 |
| #1 Mine the moon? |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2009-06-30 00:27 |