Interlune's Cold Capture Technology Set to Triple U.S. Helium-3 Supply
Interlune's Cold Capture technology has successfully produced 99% pure helium-3, with potential to triple U.S. supply. This advancement is crucial for meeting the increasing demands of quantum computing and national defense applications.
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Interlune's Cold Capture technology can produce 99% pure helium-3, potentially tripling the current U.S. supply. Demonstrated in early 2025, the technology was awarded an AFWERX SBIR Direct-to-Phase II contract in November 2025 for scaling to industrial quantities.
In 2025, the U.S. produced around 81 billion liters of helium; if applied broadly, Cold Capture could yield up to 2.5 kilograms of helium-3 annually. The technology is designed to integrate with existing helium liquefaction plants, enhancing helium-3 extraction significantly.
Current helium-3 production relies on aging tritium stockpiles, which are limited. As demand from quantum computing grows, Interlune has secured nearly $500 million in purchase agreements and $23 million in venture capital funding. This technology could also facilitate lunar helium-3 harvesting in the future, supporting long-term space resource commercialization strategies.
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