Interlune Plans Lunar Helium-3 Mining Operations by 2029

The Seattle-based startup Interlune is developing autonomous robots to extract helium-3 from the lunar surface and transport it back to Earth. The company intends to send its first excavator to the moon in 2029, targeting equatorial regions on the near side that contain high concentrations of the gas. Interlune aims to reach full operational scale in the early 2030s, contingent on reduced launch costs provided by SpaceX's Starship or Blue Origin's lunar landers.

To maintain economic viability before lunar operations begin, Interlune is monetizing its technology on Earth by selling simulated lunar regolith and offering distillation equipment to natural gas companies. The startup has secured $18 million in funding and signed contracts with Maybell and the United States Department of Energy, the latter of which expects the delivery of three liters of helium-3 in 2029.

The company is partnering with Vermeer to manufacture the harvesters. Development is led by a team including former Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson and Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, who provided the geological foundation for the mining strategy. Chief Technical Officer Gary Lai is overseeing the production of the necessary ultra-low-temperature distillation equipment.