3 ms·

You’ll have a hard time extracting it from the sun, though.

• bena 5y ago
  But an easier time from the Moon. The Moon's soil is apparently lousy with Helium. There was a movie named Moon about a decade back where that was the main character's job, helium mining on the Moon. That's not to say it would be easy, but it's closer than the Sun. Because it is everywhere. In the various Star Trek shows, ships are made with something called "Bussard collectors" which basically scoop up particles like helium and hydrogen from space for use in the ship. Obviously both of those example are fiction. We don't have the capability to mine on the Moon or catch elements free floating in space. But those fictions are based on the fact that those elements are that abundant.
  • perl4ever 5y ago
    >"Bussard collectors" I think I read somewhere that despite this being a science fiction trope forever, there may not be a region between "too thin to produce net power" and "thick enough to blow up a spaceship at relativistic speeds". And in practice, the interstellar medium turned out to be the former, too thin. In fact, I'm not sure but what someone may have calculated drag would exceed power generated, regardless of density.
    • aeternum 5y ago
      Length contraction should also increase the apparent density for a ship travelling at relativistic speeds.
  • Stevvo 5y ago
    The Busard collectors in Star Trek are based on a real theoretical design; The Busard ramjet. I can't comment on its feasiblilty, but it would've actually captured elements free floating in space.
• deleted 5y ago
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