Chapter 1: Introduction to Interlune

A promising startup, Interlune, is setting its sights on becoming the first private company to extract lunar resources and market them back on Earth. Initially, Interlune will focus on helium-3, an isotope produced by the sun during fusion, which is abundant on the moon. In a conversation with Ars Technica, co-founder Loot Meyerson, a former president of Blue Origin, mentioned the company's aspiration to deploy its collector during one of the upcoming commercial lunar missions supported by NASA. The goal is to establish a pilot facility on the moon by 2028 and commence operations by 2030.

Interlune recently announced that it has secured $18 million in funding, including $15 million from its latest investment round led by Seven Six, the venture firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The targeted resource, helium-3, has potential applications on Earth, such as in quantum computing, medical imaging, and possibly as fuel for fusion reactors in the future. Helium-3 reaches the moon through solar winds and is believed to be trapped in the lunar soil, whereas on Earth, it is obstructed by the magnetosphere.

Interlune plans to excavate large quantities of lunar regolith, process it, and extract helium-3 gas to transport back to Earth. Along with its proprietary lunar harvester, Interlune is also planning a robotic lander mission to assess the concentration of helium-3 at the selected surface location.

"For the first time in history," Meyerson stated, "harvesting natural resources from the Moon is technologically and economically feasible." The founding team includes Meyerson, former Blue Origin Chief Engineer Gary Lai, Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, ex-Rocket Lab executive Indra Hornsby, and James Antifaev, who contributed to Alphabet's high-altitude balloon project, Project Loon.

Section 1.1: The Vision of Helium-3 Mining

Helium-3 holds significant promise for various advanced technologies. Its extraction from the moon could revolutionize energy production and medical technologies.

Subsection 1.1.1: Investment and Support

Interlune's recent funding success highlights growing interest in space resources, with backers keen on the commercial possibilities of lunar mining.

Chapter 2: Future Prospects of Lunar Mining

This video delves into how Interlune plans to mine helium-3 on the moon by 2030, highlighting their innovative approaches and technological advancements.

In this video, the process of helium-3 mining on the moon is explained, illustrating its potential applications and the science behind it.