Maybell Quantum has signed an agreement with Interlune, a U.S. space resources company, to become its first commercial customer for lunar-sourced helium-3, a critical input for dilution refrigerators used in quantum computing. Under the deal, Maybell will receive thousands of liters of helium-3 annually between 2029 and 2035 to support the cooling requirements of its cryogenic platforms. These systems, including the company’s high-density “Big Fridge,” enable quantum processors to operate below 10 millikelvin and have already demonstrated threefold improvements in qubit support within one-tenth the volume of competing systems.
On the same day, Interlune announced a groundbreaking agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy Isotope Program (DOE IP) to supply three liters of helium-3 extracted from the Moon no later than 2029. The contract marks the first-ever government purchase of a space-derived natural resource. Helium-3 is extremely rare on Earth but found in measurable quantities on the lunar surface due to solar wind exposure. It is increasingly sought after for secure quantum communications, neutron detection, fusion R&D, and quantum refrigeration.
These two deals advance Interlune’s broader strategy to build a commercial supply chain for helium-3 sourced both terrestrially and from space. The helium-3 for DOE IP will be extracted on the Moon via a pilot plant, leveraging Interlune’s proprietary harvester that is designed to be compact, lightweight, and energy efficient. The regolith processing must take place on the lunar surface due to the sheer volume required—about as much material as a large swimming pool is needed to yield three liters of gas. The company has raised $18 million in seed funding and secured support from the NASA TechFlights program, the National Science Foundation, and the DOE Isotope Program, helping to fund both Earth-based helium separation and in-space extraction.
Interlune plans a resource validation mission in 2027, followed by a fully operational pilot plant on the Moon by 2029. The company aims to create a scalable lunar infrastructure to deliver helium-3 for U.S. agencies and commercial buyers. If successful, Interlune could become the world’s first dual-source helium-3 provider at scale—fulfilling rising demand across fusion, national defense, quantum networking, and cryogenic computing sectors.
While the opportunity is significant, Interlune’s venture remains high risk. The company faces major technical, financial, and legal challenges in lunar mining, in addition to the logistics of orbital resource return. Key success factors include validating extraction rates, advancing regolith processing systems, and establishing regulatory clarity for non-terrestrial mining. Nonetheless, the DOE’s purchase agreement signals government interest in de-risking lunar resource development, and Maybell’s order points to real commercial appetite for helium-3 in quantum tech.
Read more about the commercial partnership here, the U.S. government deal here, and Interlune’s lunar plans here.
May 8, 2025
