space
March 4, 2026
As Moon interest heats up, two companies unveil plans for a lunar "harvester"
“Ultimately, we want to build a fleet of electric harvesters.”
TL;DR
- SpaceX founder Elon Musk is pivoting towards lunar surface activities, and NASA is also increasing its focus on lunar bases.
- Lunar startups Astrolab and Interlune have announced a partnership amid increased interest in the Moon.
- Astrolab is developing rovers for NASA and commercial customers, while Interlune aims to mine Helium-3 from lunar regolith.
- The partnership will involve testing a small prototype rover called FLIP this year, equipped with a camera to estimate Helium-3 quantities.
- Astrolab is also developing a larger rover, FLEX, designed to be a versatile platform for various activities, including serving as a mobile harvester for Interlune.
- Interlune plans to use Vermeer-manufactured harvesters mounted on Astrolab's FLEX rovers for excavating and separating Helium-3.
- Helium-3, rare on Earth, has potential applications in cryogenics, and Interlune has already secured contracts for its sale.
- Prototype testing of a mobile harvester is planned for Houston at a new commercial facility within NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Continue reading the original article