What is Helium-3 and could we get it from the moon?
Helium-3 is expensive and demand is forecast to soar, so some are planning to mine it on the moon.
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Notable Quotes
""The lab has been going for 50 years or so. Back then, the helium was quite cheap.""
— Dima Zmeev , Academic
""We've spent the last four years developing, prototyping and testing technologies… We have a team of 30 people, and growing.""
— Rob Meyerson , Executive
"We need to be great at excavating large quantities of lunar regolith, and that translates well to surface preparation activities needed at Artemis Base Camp."
— Rob Meyerson , Executive
"If helium-3 were abundant on Earth, all these benefits would be with us today."
— Harrison Schmitt , Academic
"We need to be great at excavating large quantities of lunar regolith, and that translates well to surface preparation activities needed at Artemis Base Camp."
— Rob Meyerson , Executive
Key People
Distinguished scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.
Senior lecturer at Lancaster University who works with helium-3.
Gene Cernan was a NASA astronaut and the commander of Apollo 17.
Gerald Kulcinski is a professor of nuclear engineering and director at the Fusion Technology Institute.
Co-founder of Interlune and Apollo 17 astronaut.
Harrison Schmitt is a former NASA astronaut and the only geologist to have walked on the moon.
Researcher at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
Co-founder and CEO of Interlune who previously led Blue Origin.
Tags
All Coverage
Helium-3 is expensive and demand is forecast to soar, so some are planning to mine it on the moon.
Interlune is developing technology to extract helium-3 from the lunar surface, targeting its use in fusion energy, quantum computing, and other applications, with plans for future lunar missions to demonstrate this capability.
Interlune has been awarded a $150,000 NASA Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract to develop lunar trenching and excavation technology, aiming to support future lunar resource extraction, including helium-3 harvesting operations.
Astrotech Corporation has approved a strategic initiative focusing on lunar resource development, autonomous lunar industrial infrastructure, and future Moon-based advanced computing and semiconductor manufacturing opportunities, including the extraction of helium-3 for potential quantum cooling applications.
Pulsar Helium Inc. has completed drilling of the Jetstream #6 well at its Topaz Project in Minnesota and commenced operations at Jetstream #7, targeting helium-3 extraction.
Interlune has been awarded a $150,000 contract to develop lunar trenching and excavation technology, aiming to support future lunar resource extraction, including helium-3 harvesting, and site preparation for NASA's Artemis Moon Base.
Pulsar Helium Inc. has entered into an exclusive exploration option agreement covering approximately 488,090 acres of mineral rights in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, focusing on non-hydrocarbon gases including helium-3.
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