NISC

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Teamwork

Large groups of these machines will be working on the Moon, which can continuously suck in helium-3 from the Moon regolith. The machines will move in groups, so they will extract more from one place.

Big challenge

If we could extract helium-3, we could have clean energy for many 1000 years. That is why I designed a concept of how helium-3 could be mining in the future.

Soft robotics

To move on the Moon will be NISC using a motion skeleton system that comes from soft robotics. Movement will be performed by simple impulses that will move the machine as needed. The movement is inspired by nature, especially the movements of squid and cuttlefish.

Inflatable bag

Extraction and movement of helium-3 is provided by a special inflatable bag. When the regolith passes through the body, the rock is heated to 600 degrees, releasing the helium-3 from the regolith, which is then filled through a filler into a bag that is inflated to the required size. After the bag is filled, the mining machine is moved to the Moon base, where it is released for subsequent treatment.

Future technology

For sucking the regolith, the machine will use the ability to taper and then expand the front of the machine, thereby releasing the pores through which the machine can suck up monthly dust to recover helium-3. It works in a way of muscle that becomes smaller when stretched and its volume increases when relaxed.

1:4 scale model

The complex production of the model from many parts that was needed to adapt. After that followed by grinding, spraying 2 layers of paint and sticking labels. Model made by hand using 3D printing.

My concept of helium-3 mining on the moon.

First, an Alpha station with a group of astronauts and experts will fly out of Earth, orbiting the Moon's orbit. Subsequently, with the aid of technology, the surface of the Moon is mapped to locate the largest site of helium-3. After successfully finding the ideal mining location, my machine are made using a 3D printer at the Space Station and fired at that location. The machine immediately starts to operate in fully autonomous mode.

Multiple machines will be needed for helium-3 mining. The machine that prepares the moon's land for mining will work first. Crushes and aligns the surface. Subsequently, my concept of the machine follows, which will suck the already crushed rock into the interior of the machine. Regolith will pass through a nuclear engine, which should create a temperature of 600 degrees, and from the Moon regolit releases helium-3, which are stored in the machine in the manner of inflating the balloon.

If the machine already has the maximum helium-3, it will be taken to the Moon base Beta, where helium-3 will be released. The beta base will cool Helium-3 to -162 Celsius, which should helium-3 liquefy and reduce its volume by 600 times. Helium-3 does not freeze even at absolute zero, which is -270 Celsius, but only becomes a super conductive liquid. It is then loaded into a rocket and fired at the Alpha base, which orbits the Moon, which captures it and stores it with other helium-3 vessels. And then they send it to Earth as a joint shipment.