[Presenter Sergey Brilev] On the eve of the new lunar year, very serious Korolev readings in the Bauman Polytechnic Institute are looking into a new lunar initiative. It was suggested very seriously to think about the industrial exploration of the Moon. Aleksandr Rogatkin reports from the Moon.
[Correspondent] Blossoming apple trees on the Mars are becoming a thing of uncertain future, but it will take less than 20-30 years to see combines on the Moon. Special space combine will collect lunar probes which contain helium-3, a rare isotope which is supposed to ensure the humankind's prosperous living.
[Nikolay Sevastyanov captioned as president and general designer of the Energiya company named after S.P. Korolev] We are optimistic about a complex for transportation which can be created by 2015, and a complex for extracting helium-3 on the Moon can be built by 2020.
[Correspondent] It is quite possible to revamp the Soviet programme aiming at the exploration of the satellite. This lunar tractor, so loved by everyone, needs only minor developments and is quite capable of recovering helium-3. It has transpired that our country has never stopped developing new means of transport to be used on remote planets.
These planet-explorers can be used on the Moon. They were designed for working on the Mars. They can work on an autopilot and collect lunar soil which contains unlimited sources of energy. For billions of years helium was brought here by solar winds. On the Earth, only kilograms can be extracted, whereas the lunar soil contains about 1 million tonnes of it. This planet explorer is ready to begin working as early as tomorrow - it has special wheels and an isotope source of energy.
[Sergey Buslayev head of department at the Lavochkin company] It is a kind of a geologist who will automatically move on the surface and find places which are richer in helium.
[Correspondent] A mere 100 g of this substance can replace a dozen of oil tankers, given that thermal nuclear reactor are powered by helium one day.
[Erik Galimov, captioned as academician and director of the Institute of geochemistry and analytical chemistry named after V. I. Vernadskiy] In order to meet Russia's energy demands, only 20 t of helium-3 are needed. But no-one should think helium is simply lying there, ready for taking.
[Correspondent] In order to get 50 kg of pure helium product, the space combines will have to plough over an area of 1.5 sq. km to the depth of 3 metres. However, one of the leading designers of Russia space exploration, Boris Chertok, says one day the mankind will have to solve the problem.
[Boris Chertok captioned as academician and chief scientist and consultant of the Energiya company named after S.P. Korolev] Our state must develop a state programme for lunar exploration. We must start thinking as early as today what energy will be used for producing electricity for our distant descendants. We must not use up everything and leave them unable to survive. Poor chaps should not freeze.
[Correspondent] The scheme of delivering helium-3 to the Earth is so far seen as follows. A lunar module starts from the base and takes liquid gas to a lunar orbital station. A cargo space shuttle will be waiting for it there. It will take the fuel of the future to the International Space Station and from there a Russian space shuttle, the Kliper, will take it to the Earth. he enthusiasts of the project say that the main thing is to be there in time to claim territories. The Americans and the Chinese have already said they have programmes for recovering helium on the Moon. As early as 1967 the countries have signed an agreement on the Moon - the satellite has been announced a treasury of the entire mankind. However, the leading European specialist on space laws, Aleksandr Yakovenko, says that there have not been any international agreement on developing lunar resources so far.
[Aleksandr Yakovenko captioned as member of the council on space of the Russian Academy of Sciences; PhD in Law] Such agreements have not been developed so far. There is an understanding that these agreements will be developed only when exploration becomes practically possible. This is the main condition.
[Correspondent] Meanwhile, the Moon is on sale and the business is active. [Passage omitted: background; a lunar embassy set up by an American national; Russian film stars have been actively buying lunar plots; ] But so far owners of lunar estates will have to wait while the Russian space industry manages to find money for financing the recovery of lunar helium. The most modest calculations say 20bn-30bn dollars will be required. The apple trees on the Mars might be offering fruit by then.
[Video showed computer simulated spacecraft and other machines; researchers detailing their vision of space exploration]
Nu, zayats, pogodi!
__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com