Mining the Moon: Interlune's $300M Gamble Could Revolutionize Quantum Computing
A Seattle-based space startup has just secured one of the most ambitious funding rounds in commercial space history, raising $300 million to harvest Helium-3 from the lunar surface for Earth's emerging quantum computing industry. Interlune's audacious plan represents a convergence of two cutting-edge fields that could reshape both space exploration and quantum technology.
The Helium-3 Gold Rush Begins
Interlune, founded by former Blue Origin executives, announced the Series A funding round led by Khosla Ventures and supported by Founders Fund and Airbus Ventures. The company plans to launch its first lunar mining mission by 2028, targeting the Moon's vast reserves of Helium-3—a rare isotope that could become the fuel of choice for next-generation quantum computers.
"We're not just mining the Moon; we're mining the future," said Rob Meyerson, Interlune's CEO and former Blue Origin president. "Helium-3 represents the intersection of humanity's greatest technological challenges: sustainable energy, quantum computing, and space commercialization."
Why Helium-3 Matters for Quantum Computing
Helium-3's unique properties make it invaluable for quantum computing applications. Unlike regular helium, this isotope remains liquid at extremely low temperatures without freezing, making it ideal for cooling quantum processors that operate near absolute zero. Current quantum computers rely on complex dilution refrigerators that consume enormous amounts of energy and regular helium—a resource becoming increasingly scarce on Earth.
The terrestrial supply of Helium-3 is virtually nonexistent, with annual production measuring in mere kilograms globally. Meanwhile, the Moon contains an estimated one million tons of Helium-3, deposited over billions of years by solar wind. This abundance could support thousands of quantum computers operating simultaneously, potentially accelerating breakthroughs in drug discovery, climate modeling, and artificial intelligence.
The Technical Challenge Ahead
Extracting Helium-3 from lunar soil presents extraordinary engineering hurdles. The isotope exists in concentrations of just 10-20 parts per billion in lunar regolith, requiring processing of massive quantities of moon dust. Interlune's proposed solution involves automated mining rovers that heat lunar soil to 700°C, extracting and purifying the gas before shipping it back to Earth in specialized containers.
The company estimates that each mission could extract 100 kilograms of Helium-3—enough to support dozens of quantum computing facilities for years. At projected market prices of $15,000 per gram, a single successful mission could generate $1.5 billion in revenue, easily justifying the enormous upfront investment.
Market Timing and Competition
The announcement comes as the quantum computing market experiences unprecedented growth. IBM, Google, and Microsoft are racing to achieve quantum supremacy, while startups like IonQ and Rigetti Computing push the technology toward commercial viability. The global quantum computing market, valued at $1.3 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $5.3 billion by 2028.
Interlune faces competition from other lunar mining ventures, including Moon Express and Planetary Resources, though none have secured comparable funding or focused specifically on Helium-3 extraction. The company's leadership team, which includes former NASA administrators and SpaceX engineers, brings decades of space industry experience to the challenge.
Regulatory and Environmental Considerations
The venture operates in largely uncharted regulatory territory. While the 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits national appropriation of celestial bodies, it doesn't explicitly address commercial resource extraction. The U.S. Commercial Space Launch Act of 2015 grants American companies rights to materials they extract from space, but international consensus remains elusive.
Environmental concerns also loom large. Critics worry about the precedent of large-scale lunar mining and its potential impact on future scientific research. Interlune has committed to sustainable mining practices and collaboration with international space agencies to minimize disruption to scientifically significant lunar sites.
The Road to 2028
With funding secured, Interlune plans to spend the next two years developing and testing its extraction technology in Earth-based facilities. The company will conduct its first lunar mission using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, with follow-up missions scheduled every 18 months thereafter.
Success could position Interlune at the center of a new space economy worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Failure would join a long list of ambitious space ventures that promised the Moon but delivered little more than expensive lessons.
As quantum computing matures and space commercialization accelerates, Interlune's lunar Helium-3 mining represents a bold bet on the convergence of two transformative technologies. Whether this $300 million gamble pays off may determine not just the company's future, but the trajectory of both quantum computing and space commerce for decades to come.
