Interlune announced it had raised $18 million in funding to develop and operationalize technology to extract Helium-3 and other natural resources from the Moon. This funding is a major milestone for Interlune in pursuing its goal to lead the world in sustainable, responsible harvesting and distribution of natural resources from space to benefit humanity.
Interlune’s lunar harvester is smaller, lighter, and requires 10x less power than other concepts in the industry. This makes it less costly to transport to the Moon and operate once there. Helium-3 (an isotope of Helium) is very scarce on Earth but abundant on the Moon. Interlune will initially focus on extracting and transporting lunar He-3 back to Earth for use by commercial and government customers in national security, quantum computing, medical imaging, and fusion energy markets.
Alexis Ohanian’s venture firm Seven Seven Six led the most recent round of funding, which added to previous angel investments. Katelin Holloway, founding partner of Seven Seven Six will join Interlune’s board. And other investors include Aurelia Foundry Fund, Gaingels, Liquid 2 Ventures, Shasta Ventures, and a committed group of University of Michigan alumni.
The company was founded by former Blue Origin President Rob Meyerson, Chief Architect Gary Lai, and Apollo 17 Astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt. Along with Meyerson, Lai, and Schmitt, Interlune’s founding team also includes Indra Hornsby and James Antifaev. This team is experienced in commercial and civil space programs, government programs, startups, and the Moon.
Interlune will start out by focusing on extracting and transporting lunar Helium-3 back to Earth for use by commercial and government customers in national security, quantum computing, medical imaging, and fusion energy markets.
Eventually, Interlune will harvest other resources like industrial metals, rare Earth elements, and water to support a long-term presence on the Moon and a robust in-space economy.
In October 2023, Interlune received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I award for operationalizing technology to size and sort lunar regolith. And this award will fund prototype testing on Earth under simulated lunar conditions, and future phases will support full-scale development and demonstration on the Moon.
KEY QUOTES:
“For the first time in history, harvesting natural resources from the Moon is technologically and economically feasible. With our uniquely experienced and qualified team, Interlune is creating the core technologies to extract and process lunar resources responsibly to serve a wide range of customers.”
- Rob Meyerson
“There is growing demand for Helium-3 across burgeoning and potentially massive industries. We invested in Interlune because access to the ample cache of Helium-3 and other precious natural resources on the Moon and beyond will unlock or accelerate technological advancements currently hindered by lack of supply.”
- Alexis Ohanian
“What captivates me most is their unique position to transform decades of technological advancements into near-term reality, giving hope that my grandmother and young sons might soon witness history in their shared lifetime. Interlune’s pursuit of lunar prospecting not only fuels revolutionary advancements across energy, computing, healthcare, and beyond — but also aligns with a vision I deeply share: leveraging the cosmos to sustain life on Earth, our irreplaceable home. This investment isn’t just in technology; it’s in our collective future.”
- Katelin Holloway, founding partner of Seven Seven Six; joining Interlune’s board
