A new frontier in space resource utilization is emerging as Interlune, a Seattle-based startup, sets its sights on mining helium-3 from the Moon. This rare gas, nearly absent on Earth but relatively abundant on the lunar surface, holds immense potential for clean energy production and the advancement of quantum computing.

Interlune, founded by former Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson, has become the first private company to extract and sell helium-3 sourced from the Moon. With plans to begin supplying the gas to customers by 2029, the company is positioning itself at the cutting edge of lunar mining. Each kilogram of helium-3 is valued at around $20 million and contains approximately 7,400 liters of gas at standard temperature and pressure.

Helium-3 is a non-radioactive isotope of helium. While Earth has only minute quantities of it—mostly as a byproduct of nuclear reactors—the Moon has been slowly accumulating the gas for billions of years. Solar winds, which carry helium-3, continuously strike the Moon’s unshielded surface, embedding the isotope into the upper layers of lunar soil.

To tap into this resource, Interlune has developed a specialized lunar excavator. Designed in collaboration with excavation equipment manufacturer Vermeer, the machine is capable of digging up to three meters deep and processing up to 100 metric tons of lunar regolith per hour. It uses a chemical separation process tailored for lunar conditions to isolate helium-3 from other gases.

Rather than transporting raw lunar soil back to Earth, Interlune plans to concentrate and extract helium-3 directly on the Moon. This approach significantly reduces costs and simplifies logistics, as only the purified gas will be returned to Earth.

Helium-3 is considered a game-changer for several reasons. In nuclear fusion research, it is seen as a clean fuel option that could produce energy without generating radioactive waste. Its potential for powering advanced fusion reactors has long intrigued scientists. Additionally, helium-3 is crucial for cooling systems required in quantum computing. These systems operate at extremely low temperatures, and helium-3 is essential for dilution refrigeration—one of the primary methods for maintaining such conditions.

Interlune’s roadmap includes three key missions. The first, Crescent Moon, is slated for late 2025 and will involve sending a hyperspectral camera to the lunar south pole to identify areas rich in helium-3. The second, Prospect Moon, will land a spacecraft to conduct surface measurements and test early extraction technologies. The final phase, Harvest Moon, aims to demonstrate full-scale extraction and deliver helium-3 to Earth by 2029.

While the company still faces significant technical hurdles, its progress marks a major step toward leveraging off-world resources for Earth-bound technologies. If successful, Interlune could help usher in a new era of sustainable energy and accelerate the global rollout of quantum computing infrastructure.

By Impact Lab