Interlune, a space resources startup, has raised $18 million in seed capital to further develop its technology for extracting natural resources from the moon. The company was founded by former Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson and chief architect Gary Lai, alongside Apollo 17 Astronaut Harrison Schmitt.
Interlune aims to be the first private company to commercialize resources from space. It will initially focus on extracting and transporting lunar Helium-3 back to Earth for use in various industries, including national security, quantum computing, medical imaging and fusion energy markets.
In addition to Helium-3, Interlune plans to eventually harvest other resources such as industrial metals, rare Earth elements and water to support a long-term presence on the moon and establish an in-space economy.
The company’s most recent injection of $15 million was led by Seven Seven Six. The capital will support the development of Interlune’s core technologies, including novel excavation and processing techniques for lunar soil.
