The Race to Mine the Moon: Interlune’s Mission to Extract Lunar Resources

Interlune, a company headquartered in Seattle, is determined to capitalize on a law enacted almost a decade ago that grants private American space companies the rights to resources they mine on celestial bodies, including the moon. The primary focus of the company is Helium-3, an isotope that is scarce on Earth but abundant on the moon. This isotope has the potential to serve as valuable fuel in nuclear fusion reactors and play a crucial role in powering the quantum computing industry. The company, which has been developing its technology for approximately four years, is striving to be the first to collect, return, and sell lunar resources.

The company’s co-founders, Rob Meyerson and Gary Lai, both former executives at Blue Origin, alongside geologist Harrison Schmitt, who flew to the moon during Apollo 17, are leading the initiative. They are supported by fellow space industry executives Indra Hornsby and James Antifaev. Interlune has already secured a customer interested in purchasing lunar resources in significant quantities, as there is a high demand for Helium-3 within the quantum computing industry.

In pursuit of this ambitious goal, Interlune plans to conduct a prospecting mission as early as 2026, involving a harvester that will be flown to an area of the moon believed to hold large quantities of Helium-3. The company aims to develop the technology necessary to extract the resources and potentially commercialize the entire operation by 2030.

However, the road to mining the moon is laden with challenges. Setting up a mining operation on the moon and then bringing the products back to Earth is both challenging and expensive. Interlune would have to rely on a number of launches and technologies that are not yet in existence, such as a lunar rover to gather regolith, the lunar soil. Despite these obstacles, the company remains optimistic due to the growing demand for Helium-3 and recent advances in space transportation and technology.

Interlune’s recent funding round was spearheaded by venture capital firm Seven Seven Six, led by founder and general partner Alexis Ohanian. Ohanian expressed confidence in the potential of the space sector, citing the success of companies like SpaceX, which has demonstrated the viability of private ventures in space exploration. This success has significantly increased the appeal of the space economy to investors, despite the risks involved.

The company’s vision aligns with NASA’s plans for the future of space exploration, as the agency is also looking to establish a regulatory framework for extracting and trading space resources. With this in mind, Interlune’s mission not only represents a significant commercial venture but also a potential partnership with NASA, as the agency has expressed interest in procuring rocks and dirt from the lunar surface from commercial entities.

In conclusion, Interlune’s commitment to becoming the first company to mine the moon and extract valuable resources represents a significant milestone in the commercial space industry. While the challenges are substantial, the company’s confidence in the growing demand for Helium-3 and the advancements in space technology make their mission a compelling one. As the space race to the moon continues to intensify, Interlune is positioned to make a substantial impact in driving the next frontier of space exploration.