There's A $20 Million Per Kilo Treasure Hidden On The Moon — And We're Ready To Extract It

There’s A $20 Million Per Kilo Treasure Hidden On The Moon — And We’re Ready To Extract It

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 01/08/2025 at 22:43

Representação artística do rover minerador de Hélio-3 em ação (Crédito: Divulgação/Interlune)

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Startup Created by Former Executives of Blue Origin Wants to Extract Helium-3 from the Moon and Sell Rare Isotope for Energy, Computing, and Medicine

A new energy frontier is being drawn on the Moon. The startup Interlune, based in Seattle and formed by former executives of Blue Origin, wants to turn lunar regolith into a strategic source of helium-3.

This rare isotope can be worth up to US$ 20 million per kilogram and has the potential to revolutionize areas such as clean energy, quantum computing, and healthcare.

The company’s goal is clear: to extract helium-3 from the surface of the Moon and bring it to Earth. The company has already formed strategic partnerships and begun developing advanced space mining technology.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Helium-3: A Rare Isotope with Decisive Applications

Helium-3 is valuable because it offers unique advantages in several areas. In the field of energy, it can be used in nuclear fusion reactors without generating radioactive waste. This characteristic makes it a promising alternative to traditional fuels.

In quantum computing, helium-3 is used to cool superconducting materials to extremely low temperatures.

This enables faster and more stable processors. Another sector that relies on the isotope is medical imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging, which requires efficient cooling systems.

Due to its scarcity on Earth, lunar helium-3 is attracting increasing attention. It is estimated that there are over a million tons of the material spread across the lunar surface.

This fact turns the Moon into a possible center for energy and technology supply in the future.

The Technology Developed to Explore Lunar Regolith

To make this project viable, Interlune is developing a lunar collector with cutting-edge technology. The machine will be capable of digging, sorting, extracting, and separating helium-3 from lunar regolith.

According to Meyerson, the plan is to operate with a fleet of five collectors. Each of them can process up to 100 metric tons of lunar dust per hour. The expectation is to produce dozens of kilograms of helium-3 per year.

The biggest challenge is the lunar environment. The low gravity, extreme temperature variation, and vacuum make the work more complex.

Moreover, helium-3 is present in very small quantities in the regolith — only a few parts per billion. Therefore, the system needs to be extremely efficient.

The prototype is already being tested under conditions similar to those on the Moon. The next step will be to adapt it to operate outside of Earth, with helium-3 liquefaction techniques included in the process to facilitate transportation back to the planet.

Support from the U.S. Government and Private Companies

Interlune’s project has already drawn the attention of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which signed a contract for the purchase of helium-3.

The government plans to acquire three liters of the material by 2029, focusing on national security and technological research.

The partnership shows the growing interest of governments in advanced technologies that depend on rare elements.

Quantum computing and fusion energy are strategic areas to maintain global leadership in innovation.

Another company that signed a contract with Interlune is Maybell Quantum, specialized in quantum infrastructure.

It has committed to purchasing thousands of liters of helium-3. The company needs the material to operate dilution refrigerators used in quantum computing.

These agreements prove that lunar mining is not just a futuristic dream. With increasing demand, Interlune’s business model is beginning to consolidate in the present.

Mission in 2027 and Large-Scale Mining by 2029

Even with all the enthusiasm, the road ahead is still long. The technical challenges of space mining are enormous.

Separating helium-3 from other elements and gases in lunar soil requires sophisticated equipment and very precise methods.

Interlune’s plan is to launch its first prospecting mission in 2027. This mission will serve to test systems in real conditions and collect detailed information about lunar soil.

Based on this data, the company hopes to initiate large-scale mining operations by 2029.

To do this, it will be necessary to obtain private funding and establish more industrial partnerships. Meyerson acknowledges that the journey is challenging, but believes in the transformative potential of the project.

Toward a Resource-Based Space Economy

The success of Interlune could usher in a new era of space exploration. Instead of merely conquering space, humanity would start to extract real value from it.

Helium-3 could be the first step towards a new resource-based economy beyond Earth.

The clean energy generated by nuclear fusion with helium-3 could meet global demand without the environmental impacts of fossil fuels. Quantum computing, in turn, could evolve with greater speed and efficiency.

As Gary Lai, co-founder and CTO of Interlune, said, abundance changes everything. When a resource becomes more accessible, new uses, applications, and ideas emerge.

Lunar mining ceases to be a science fiction concept and becomes a strategy for the future. The race has already begun, and Interlune wants to be at the forefront.

With information from Daily Galaxy.

There’s A $20 Million Per Kilo Treasure Hidden On The Moon — And We’re Ready To Extract It

Startup Created by Former Executives of Blue Origin Wants to Extract Helium-3 from the Moon and Sell Rare Isotope for Energy, Computing, and Medicine

Helium-3: A Rare Isotope with Decisive Applications

The Technology Developed to Explore Lunar Regolith

Support from the U.S. Government and Private Companies

Mission in 2027 and Large-Scale Mining by 2029

Toward a Resource-Based Space Economy

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There’s A $20 Million Per Kilo Treasure Hidden On The Moon — And We’re Ready To Extract It

Startup Created by Former Executives of Blue Origin Wants to Extract Helium-3 from the Moon and Sell Rare Isotope for Energy, Computing, and Medicine

Helium-3: A Rare Isotope with Decisive Applications

The Technology Developed to Explore Lunar Regolith

Support from the U.S. Government and Private Companies

Mission in 2027 and Large-Scale Mining by 2029

Toward a Resource-Based Space Economy

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