Interlune, a Seattle-based space startup, is racing to become the first company to mine helium-3 from the lunar surface and bring it back to Earth, tells Forbes. Helium-3 is a rare isotope that’s scarce here but more abundant on the Moon because billions of years of solar wind have embedded it in the lunar soil. Its potential use in future nuclear fusion reactors, quantum computing cooling systems, and other advanced technologies makes it extremely valuable.
The plan involves developing autonomous robots capable of excavating lunar regolith, extracting helium-3, separating it from other elements, and transporting it back home. Interlune has attracted partnerships with industrial players and space organizations to build this capability. CEO Rob Meyerson, a former executive at Blue Origin, and CTO Gary Lai are leading the effort, which combines space robotics, resource processing technology, and commercial strategy.
Interlune’s timeline aims for operations in the next few years, with prototypes already under development. The company is also preparing to send remote sensing instruments to the Moon on commercial landers to map helium-3 deposits more precisely before full-scale extraction begins.
Demand for helium-3 is emerging well before mining begins. One of the largest early commercial deals came from Bluefors, a Finnish firm that produces systems for achieving ultra-low temperatures in quantum computers. It agreed to buy up to 10,000 liters of lunar helium-3 annually under a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This deal is the largest known purchase of natural resources from space to date and shows real market interest.
Despite excitement, significant challenges remain. Helium-3 exists in very low concentrations in lunar soil, meaning machines may need to process huge amounts of regolith to collect meaningful quantities. Transporting equipment and the extracted isotope between Earth and the Moon also carries immense technical and financial hurdles.
Still, Interlune’s approach marks a shift from purely scientific lunar exploration to commercial space resource development. If successful, it could open doors to a broader space economy, support fusion energy goals, and deepen partnerships between public and private space programs.