Interlune, a new space startup founded by ex Blue Origin employees Rob Meyerson and Gary Laiis venturing into the ambitious field of mining helium-3 on the moon. Hel-3, a valuable isotope critical for nuclear fusion, is abundant on the lunar surface due to solar wind interactions and has long been viewed as a potential resource. Although interesting in theory, few companies have made concrete efforts at its extraction.
The scarcity of helium-3 on Earth stands in stark contrast to its availability on the moon, where it is expected to be used in applications ranging from medical imaging to nuclear fuel. Interlune aims to make the most of this resource by mining helium-3 and supplying it to companies on the ground.
Meyerson, founder of Interlune and former president of Blue Origin, outlined the company’s roadmap and revealed plans to build a pilot plant by 2028 and begin operational mining by 2030, with an eye on meeting Earth’s market needs.
With $15 million in funding since its founding in 2022, Interlune is ready for action. The company plans to launch a lunar “demonstration mission” in 2026 to assess helium-3 reserves and initiate extraction attempts. Partnerships with established space entities such as SpaceX or the potential involvement of Blue Origin could bolster Interlune’s efforts to facilitate the logistics of lunar operations.
Interlune harvester (Image source: Interlune)
Interlune solves the complexities of lunar mining, and its success could pave the way for further utilization of extraterrestrial resources, ushering in a new era of space-based industry and innovation.
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