GoKawiilInterlune tests lunar helium-3 extraction process using simulated solar wind exposure
Seattle-based Interlune is developing technology to extract helium-3, a rare isotope embedded in lunar soil by billions of years of solar wind bombardment, with the goal of eventually mining it from the Moon and returning it to Earth. The company has been working on methods to simulate and accelerate the natural process that deposits helium-3 into lunar regolith, testing extraction techniques ahead of any full-scale mining mission.
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Helium-3 is scarce on Earth but valuable for applications like ultra-cold cooling, medical imaging, and neutron detection, and it is one of the few lunar resources that could realistically be profitable to mine and ship back to Earth. Interlune's work signals growing private-sector interest in resource extraction beyond Earth, a step that could shape future space economy policy and technology long before any large-scale nuclear fusion application becomes viable.
- Helium-3 accumulates in lunar soil from billions of years of solar wind exposure, unlike on Earth where it's shielded.
- Interlune is among a few companies exploring commercial extraction of helium-3 from the Moon.
- Near-term uses include cooling technology and neutron detection, with fusion energy potential remaining a longer-term goal.
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See Celestron NexStar 130SLT Telescope on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-08-26
Published there as: “15,000 years of solar wind in four hours? A Seattle company gives it a go.”
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