Interlune Targets 2027 Lunar Helium-3 Extraction as It Lands $300 Million Supply Deal
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 16
Interlune Targets 2027 Lunar Helium-3 Extraction as It Lands $300 Million Supply Deal
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 16
Summary
Interlune says its helium-3 extraction kit could be integrated into a lunar lander by autumn 2027, advancing a plan to mine moon regolith for the scarce isotope.
A $300 million agreement with a Helsinki-based quantum computing company would have Interlune deliver 10,000 litres a year from 2028 to 2037, tying the project to expected demand from quantum machines.
Helium-3 now costs about $2,000 per litre and is mainly sourced from tritium decay in nuclear weapons, with scientists warning future demand for quantum computing and fusion could outstrip that limited supply.
Apollo samples suggest the moon contains helium-3, but concentrations remain uncertain; estimates of only a few parts per billion imply processing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of regolith for 1 kilogram.
Interlune, led by former Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson, is one of several firms chasing new supply, though some researchers are pursuing helium-3 alternatives or easier terrestrial sources such as Minnesota.
Will terrestrial sources and new technologies make the costly lunar Helium-3 rush obsolete before it even begins?
Is the lunar Helium-3 market a visionary investment or a high-risk bubble built on unproven 'mountain-moving' technology?
The $300 Million Lunar Helium-3 Deal: How Bluefors and Interlune Are Launching the First Commercial Moon Mining Era
Overview
In a historic first, Finnish tech firm Bluefors has signed a $300 million deal with Interlune to purchase tens of thousands of liters of Helium-3 from the Moon, marking the largest commercial space resource agreement to date. This partnership is a major step toward building a lunar resource economy. Bluefors, a leader in ultracold refrigerator systems essential for quantum computing, will use the lunar Helium-3 in its quantum cryogenic systems. These systems are crucial for reaching near-absolute-zero temperatures, enabling breakthroughs in scientific and medical research within the quantum technology sector.