Lunar source of /sup 3/He for commercial fusion power

An analysis of astrophysical information indicates that the solar wind has deposited an abundant, easily extractable source of /sup 3/He onto the surface of the moon. Apollo lunar samples indicate that the moon's surface soil contains approx. =10/sup 9/kg of /sup 3/He. If this amount of /sup 3/He were to be used in a 50% efficient D-/sup 3/He fusion reactor, it would provide 10/sup 7/GW(electric) . yr of electrical power. The energy required to extract /sup 3/He from the lunar regolith and transport it to earth is calculated to be approx. =2400 GJ/kg. Since the D-/sup 3/He reaction produces 6 X 10/sup 5/ GJ of energy per kilogram of /sup 3/He, the energy payback ratio is approx. =250. Implications for the commercialization of D-/sup 3/He fusion reactors and for the development of fusion power are discussed.