Why are companies interested in Moon dust?

Helium-3 is an incredibly precious resource. It can be used to cool quantum computers, supercharge medical imaging - and could even one day enable nuclear fusion. But just a few kilograms are produced on Earth each year, and each kilo is valued at $20 million. There is one place where helium-3 is abundant, though: the #Moon. It’s found in lunar dust, due to solar waves that have transmitted this rare isotope to the Moon’s surface over billions of years. Now start-ups like Interlune are looking to mine this rare resource using autonomous solar-powered robots. The project has secured $23 million in investment and signed a supply deal with the US government. Interlune has been selected as a 2026 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, due to the scope of its ambition and potential value for the energy transition. The Technology Pioneers are a community of start-ups developing cutting-edge technologies with the potential to improve the world.