Interlune says it has produced 99% pure helium-3 using a cryogenic distillation process. Given helium-3’s rarity on Earth and its role in ultra-low temperature cooling, this milestone could address a supply bottleneck for superconducting quantum computers and broader quantum infrastructure.
The Core Innovation: Securing a Critical Quantum Resource
Cold Capture: A New Path to Helium-3
Interlune’s Cold Capture approach separates helium-3 from ordinary helium at ultra-low temperatures using staged cryogenic distillation. The method is designed to integrate with existing industrial gas facilities, offering a domestic route to scale production. If commercialized as planned, Cold Capture could materially increase U.S. output of helium-3 for research and industry.
Why Helium-3 is Key for Quantum
Helium-3 is an isotope with physical properties that make it ideal for reaching millikelvin temperature ranges used in dilution refrigerators. Those refrigerators are foundational for superconducting qubits, where stable, ultra-low temperatures reduce noise and prolong coherence times. Natural abundance of helium-3 on Earth is extremely low, so a dependable supply matters for scaling quantum systems.
Validation and Future Vision: Commercial Traction Meets Strategic Goals
Industry Partnerships and Funding
Interlune has signed commercial purchase agreements to supply helium-3 to quantum infrastructure firms including Maybell Quantum and Bluefors, supporting cryogenic equipment and testbeds. The company also has R and D support from NASA and an AFWERX award from the U.S. Air Force, alongside venture capital and government grants. Those partnerships signal market demand from both commercial and defense customers and back a near-term production roadmap.
Beyond Terrestrial Sources: The Lunar Ambition
Looking further ahead, Interlune highlights lunar regolith as a potential large-scale source of helium-3. NASA-funded research and interest in in-situ resource utilization frame lunar extraction as a long-term strategy to supply industrial quantities for advanced technologies.
By securing a domestic pathway to high-purity helium-3, Interlune positions itself as an enabler for quantum infrastructure expansion, addressing a resource constraint that has limited broader deployment of superconducting quantum systems.
