Interlune Helium-3 Harvester
A machine meant to dig up Moon soil and pull out helium-3, a rare gas used to cool quantum computers.
Why it matters
Helium-3 is extremely scarce on Earth, and its market price has been estimated at up to $20 million a kilogram. The Moon holds far more of it. If harvesting works, it could supply quantum computing, medical imaging and, later, fusion research.
How the technology works
Helium-3 is found in trace amounts in the Moon's surface soil. The plan is to dig up that soil and separate out the helium-3; Interlune says its Harvester will process up to 100 tons of soil an hour.
The same cryogenic separation approach is already being tested on Earth as Cold Capture.
Sources
Updated Oct 21, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction