Vermeer and Interlune expand partnership: lunar excavator for helium-3 mining ready by 2028

Heavy equipment maker Vermeer and lunar startup Interlune have expanded their strategic partnership to build the infrastructure and services needed for a permanent human presence on the Moon. The core goal of the collaboration is helium extraction, which is expected to become the foundation of a future lunar economy.

The project centers on a full-scale prototype of an all-electric Interlune excavator capable of processing 100 metric tons of lunar soil per hour. The machine will extract helium-3, a light stable isotope believed to be abundant on Earth's satellite. Development is underway under a joint agreement the companies signed earlier.

Interlune CEO Rob Meyerson said reliable autonomous mobility and heavy-duty excavation are the backbone of any permanent lunar settlement. In his words, working with Vermeer allows the companies to move from prototypes to repeatable, scalable systems that will help build the Moon Base and enable harvesting of lunar resources to power the future.

The companies say they can deliver a mission-ready tool by 2028, aligning their efforts with NASA's Moon Base program. The excavator will dig lunar rocks and sand from up to three meters below the surface, then extract helium-3, package it, and ship it back to Earth.

Helium plays a critical role in manufacturing semiconductors, chips, optics, and other components needed for electric vehicles, autonomy, and the internet. Despite being the second-most common element in the universe, helium is quite rare on Earth, and supplies are rapidly running out. This creates intense economic and political pressure to find new reliable sources, sparking a new space race focused on harvesting helium on the Moon.