helium-3-harvesting
The extraction of helium-3 from Jupiter's upper atmosphere and potentially from the Moon's surface to supply fusion fuel.
1 chapter across 1 book
Blue Mars (1997)Kim Stanley Robinson
This chapter features a technical discussion among advisers and engineers about a fusion-based propulsion system using deuterium and helium-3 fuel spheres ignited by lasers to achieve Mars gravity-equivalent acceleration for interplanetary travel. They explore the practicalities of fuel consumption, travel times between planets, and the implications for human connectivity across the solar system, envisioning a future where space travel becomes as routine as train trips in 19th century Europe. The chapter ends on an optimistic note about the potential for enhanced interplanetary and even interstellar contact.