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India is expected to launch a lunar vehicle in October to look for signs of water and a nuclear fuel called helium-3 in the crust of the moon, according to a Bloomberg report.
Many countries and companies are eager to exploit helium-3, which scientists hope to use in a kind of nuclear fusion that does not create radioactive waste. If this happens, the isotope could provide safer nuclear energy for centuries to come.
Helium-3 is already produced on Earth and is used to detect illicit radioactive material in ports, but it is rare and very expensive. The moon has a lot more.
Until now, China has been the only country in the world to install a robot on the moon, partly to detect helium-3 deposits. Now, India is following suit.
India's intention to extract the moon for helium-3 was also reported early last year, following comments by Sivathanu Pillai , professor at ISRO, the Indian equivalent of NASA. These reports were initially scotched because of a supposedly bad quote from Pillai, but the space agency is now clearly pursuing that goal.
"Countries that have the ability to bring this source from the moon to Earth will dictate the process," said ISRO President K. Sivan to Bloomberg. This will be India's first mission on the moon, and ISRO hopes to establish a space station and ultimately a lunar base.
The Trump administration also wants to send American astronauts back to the moon. Russia plans to send a lander to the moon next year, and Indian and Japanese space agencies are cooperating on their own lunar efforts, largely because they worry about seeing the Chinese go too far.
The private company is also involved in the new space race, with the company Blue Origin of Jeff Bezos who intends to build a lunar colony.
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