Lunar Uranium Setback

As reported in this blog, Japan's Kaguya lunar probe found uranium on the Moon. A new lunar map based on Kaguya data, however, shows there is not enough uranium to be commercially exploitable.

Scientists will still be able to use the uranium and other radioactive elements found to learn more about the formation of the Moon.

Space advocates had jumped on the announcement of lunar uranium as a boon to lunar colonization, especially as it came soon after the announcement of lunar water. (The lunar water story is still holding up.) The promise of a large uranium industry to anchor some part of an early lunar economy may be gone, but the obvious power source for a lunar civilization has always been the Sun. The first lunar outposts will almost certainly be located in the south polar region, where water is available and a continuous supply of solar energy can be arranged. Once we have the capacity to store huge amounts of energy through the long lunar night, perhaps by using ultracapacitor technology, or we build out the lunar energy infrastructure to the point where we can constantly access solar energy, powering a lunar civilization will not be a concern.