Imagine a substance that costs $20 million per kilogram. It is practically non-existent on Earth, yet abundant across the lunar surface. It can cool quantum computers to temperatures near absolute zero and, perhaps someday, become the fuel for clean nuclear fusion energy. This is not the plot of a science fiction novel. This is helium-3 — a rare isotope now at the center of a new space race. As Rob Meyerson, CEO of the startup Interlune, states: *"At a price of $20 million per kilogram, helium-3 is the only resource in the universe whose value is high enough to justify a round trip to space and back to Earth."* But what makes this lunar gas so special? And when will we finally be able to extract it? Helium-3: What Is It and Why Is It So Important? Helium-3 is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium. On our planet, it is extremely rare. The main source is the decay of tritium (a substance produced in nuclear reactors), which yields only a few kilograms per year. However, its applications are staggering: Quantum Computing. Helium-3 is a critical component for dilution refrigerators — devices that cool qubits to temperatures around 7 millikelvin (just hundredths of a degree above absolute zero). Only under such conditions can quantum systems operate without errors. As the number of quantum computers grows from hundreds to tens of thousands, demand for helium-3 will rise exponentially. Medicine. Polarized helium-3 is used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to obtain images of the lungs with incredible detail. National Security. This isotope is an ideal neutron absorber, making it indispensable in radiation detectors at borders and in nuclear security systems. Fusion Energy of the Future. The most ambitious prospect. Unlike traditional tritium-based reactions, which produce a powerful neutron flux and radioactive waste, the reaction of deuterium with helium-3 releases primarily charged particles. This means the reactor would be significantly safer and cleane ... Читать далее