Helium from space?

[Kerbface]

So the Earth is starting to run low on helium... this is far out, but I wonder if one day we might have a helium mining outpost airship in the upper atmosphere of one of the gas giants, collecting large quanities of helium to then be compressed and transported back to Earth. It might cost a lot but could be necessary eventually. Plus it would be neat that you could, after reentry, uncompress some of the helium for an almost-as-light-as-air landing.

This might just be a stupid idea that doesn't actually work though...

[SunJumper]

What if the outpost was unmanned, and all that re-enters is the helium balloons (and a bit of RCS)

[Kerbface]

What if the outpost was unmanned, and all that re-enters is the helium balloons (and a bit of RCS)

Yeah, I thought that would likely be how it was done, although if necessary, a Saturn, Uranus or Neptune outpost could support a person becuase they have gravity similar to Earth.

Another thing that comes to mind is that perhaps all the fuel for the return mission could come straight from the gas giant if enough of the right elements can be obtained.