Mining the Moon’s helium-3: The race fueling quantum dreams and fusion hopes
Humanity has long seen the Moon as a place of wonder. Today it is viewed as a potential source of helium-3, a light, non-radioactive isotope locked into the lunar surface by the solar wind. This rare element has drawn attention from governments, startups, and tech firms because of its wide potential—cooling quantum computers, improving medical scans, boosting radiation detection, and perhaps serving as a nearly clean fuel for nuclear fusion. Together, these uses turn helium-3 into a strategic resource and the centerpiece of an emerging lunar mining race.
The United States and China are the main rivals, each linking lunar exploration to future technological and geopolitical advantage. Russia, the EU, India, and others are also signaling interest. The question is no longer whether helium-3 matters, but who will secure it first.
Why helium-3 matters
On Earth, helium-3 is extremely rare. Most comes from tritium decay in nuclear stockpiles, yielding only modest annual quantities—far less than a scaled quantum industry might require. The Moon, lacking a magnetic field, has accumulated helium-3 in its regolith for billions of years. Some estimates suggest up to a million metric tons may be present, though dispersed at low concentrations.
For quantum computing, helium-3 is indispensable. Dilution refrigerators use helium-3/helium-4 mixtures to cool qubits to millikelvin levels—hundreds of times colder than space itself—so fragile quantum states can survive. If quantum data centers expand as expected, demand could outstrip Earth’s supply.
Helium-3 is also valuable as a neutron absorber in radiation detectors, and hyperpolarized helium-3 can improve MRI imaging. The most tantalizing possibility is fusion. Unlike traditional fusion fuels, helium-3 reactions produce far fewer neutrons, potentially reducing radioactive waste. Theoretical projections suggest that tens of tons could power entire nations, though practical helium-3 reactors remain speculative.
Engineering the harvest
Extracting helium-3 from lunar soil is technically daunting. Apollo samples showed concentrations of only parts per billion, meaning vast amounts of regolith must be heated to release useful gas. The industrial recipe is simple in theory: excavate, heat, separate gases, purify, and store helium-3 for transport. In practice, each step poses serious challenges.
Lunar regolith is abrasive, electrostatically clingy, and damaging to machinery. Low gravity alters how moving parts work, and lubricants evaporate in vacuum. Real-time remote control is impossible due to communication delays, so robotic autonomy is required.
Power is another obstacle. Heating tons of regolith demands large, reliable surface energy sources—solar concentrators or small reactors. Mining systems must be light, efficient, and durable.
Startups are experimenting with concepts. Interlune, for instance, envisions mobile harvesters that scoop and heat regolith while traversing the surface. To produce even a few liters of helium-3, the machines must process soil volumes comparable to a swimming pool. Separation and purification pose additional hurdles: distinguishing tiny helium-3 fractions from helium-4 requires advanced cryogenic or membrane systems adapted to lunar conditions. Transporting the purified isotope back to Earth adds further complexity.
Where we are now
What was once speculation is now moving toward demonstration. Governments and companies are underwriting early technology development and even arranging first purchases. In 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a landmark procurement of three liters of lunar helium-3, the first government-backed extraterrestrial resource deal. Quantum firms such as Maybell Quantum and Microsoft are expressing interest in long-term supply.
Reconnaissance missions are also planned to locate richer deposits and test resource-extraction techniques. Multispectral sensors, rovers, and experimental payloads will help translate models into real mining plans.
Still, feasibility remains uncertain. The U.S. Geological Survey has called lunar helium-3 an “inferred unrecoverable resource” under current economic conditions. Extracting it at scale may take decades, and other lunar resources such as water ice may offer quicker returns by enabling deep-space fuel production. Early pilot plants will likely serve more as strategic demonstrations than profit-making ventures.
A new geopolitical scramb
Beyond engineering, the helium-3 race is geopolitical. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits sovereign claims over celestial bodies but does not forbid resource extraction. The U.S. passed a 2015 law recognizing private property rights over space resources, and the 2020 Artemis Accords further outlined cooperative principles. China and Russia, however, have not signed on, preferring alternative frameworks.
For Washington, supporting private ventures and shaping international norms is a way to secure allies and head off Chinese dominance. For Beijing, the Chang’e program emphasizes national pride and the long-term potential of helium-3 as an energy source. Russia has partnered with China on plans for a joint lunar research station in the 2030s, while the EU and India are exploring roles as partners or smaller players.
The dynamic resembles past resource rushes. If one nation or bloc secures reliable helium-3 supplies, it could dominate global markets in quantum infrastructure—and possibly fusion. Observers compare the scenario to China’s current leverage in rare-earth minerals. The fear of repeating such asymmetry explains why the lunar helium-3 race has become a central frontier for science, energy, and geopolitics alike.
Source: Interesting Engineering
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Mining the Moon’s helium-3: The race fueling quantum dreams and fusion hopes/Mining the Moon’s helium-3: The race fueling quantum dreams and fusion hopes