Helium-3, a rare and expensive gas, is being eyed by entrepreneurs and researchers as a potential new source to meet soaring demand. With applications in quantum computing and nuclear fusion, helium-3 is highly sought after, but current supplies are tightly controlled and expected to fall short of future demand. One company, Interlune, is leading the charge to mine helium-3 on the moon, where it is believed to be present in relatively high concentrations.
According to Interlune's co-founder, Rob Meyerson, the company has been developing technologies to extract helium-3 from lunar regolith for the past four years. Meyerson, who was previously president of Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' rocket company, claims that their kit could be integrated into a lunar lander as early as autumn 2027. Eventually, they aim to place autonomous regolith-shovelling excavators on the moon to scoop up the powdery material and process it.
No-one knows with certainty what kind of helium-3 concentrations are present on the moon, but Apollo regolith samples suggest it may be present at relatively high levels. If successful, mining helium-3 on the moon could provide a new source for this valuable gas, but the implications of this new source have significant global implications.