RSC Energia Chief Executive Nikolai Sevastyanov has given indications that his company will be able to provide moon exploitation options to the Russians, even before the their Kliper shuttle starts service in 2015.
A new, modified version of the Soyuz TMA vehicle, either manned or remotely controlled via a new digital system, could be used to extract the lunar reserves of He3 (Helium-3), according to Russian media agency RIA Novosti.
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While He3 holds great value to the new range of fusion nuclear power stations, it is not known why Sevastyanov would see value in an earlier target of exploitation from the lunar surface, when the new power stations are believed to be decades away from making He3 commercially viable.
The Delta 2 rocket with carrying CloudSat and CALIPSO into the A-Train orbit, from US Air Force Base Vandenberg in California, was once again delayed, this time due to a suspect temperature sensor on the Delta 2’s second stage. However, this didn’t turn out to be a major problem, and another launch attempt will be made tomorrow at 11:02am UK time.
