“Outer space holds virtually limitless amounts of energy and raw materials, from Helium-3 fuel on the Moon for clean fusion reactors to heavy metals and volatile gases from asteroids, which can be harvested for use on Earth and in space,” says former CIA space analyst Tim Chrisman.
“China will almost certainly use any resources it is able to acquire to the detriment of its adversaries, competitors and bystanders alike,” Chrisman told the Jerusalem Post, in an interview.
Chrisman also served in army intelligence and is a co-founder of Foundation for the Future, a scientific education and public works advocacy group dedicated to creating infrastructure to be able to live and work in space.
Beijing is charging forward toward potential revolutions in extracting energy in space and mining space materials and could leave the US behind, Chrisman said.
China has an upfront advantage because its military and economic components are virtually inseparable.
America faces a greater challenge rallying and uniting different aspects of national power to pursue a single challenging long-term mission.
“Getting there first may be more like launching the first satellite – like the Russia and US space races,” he said of the race for Helium-3.” Asia Times
Comment: Space has to be made profitable. This points the way. pl
