{"id":"a20168cc-bbe5-45d5-9e29-ccea33a62837","companyId":"437fdf76-e27e-4ae8-97b1-21e32a20c533","modelName":"Interlune Harvester","slug":"interlune-harvester","description":"The Interlune Harvester is an autonomous robotic lunar excavation system designed to extract helium-3 from lunar regolith. It uses vision sensors and ground-penetrating radar to determine optimal harvesting routes, a robotic arm to excavate, centrifugal sorting to separate fine particles, and heating to release trapped volatile gases (including helium-3) from the regolith surface. The harvester is designed to be smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient than prior concepts. A NASA SBIR Phase III contract funds payload development for a 2028 flight demonstration, and a multispectral camera will fly on an Astrolab FLEX rover in 2026 to scout helium-3 concentrations.","formFactor":"space","industryVertical":null,"environment":null,"maturityStage":"prototype","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://www.geekwire.com/2026/interlune-excavator-helium-3-moon-construction/","title":"Interlune designs a moon digger for helium-3 and construction work","source_name":"GeekWire","date_accessed":"2026-08-06"},{"url":"https://spacenews.com/interlune-wins-nasa-contract-for-helium-3-extraction-payload/","title":"Interlune wins NASA contract for helium-3 extraction payload","source_name":"SpaceNews","date_accessed":"2026-08-06"},{"url":"https://www.interlune.space/blog/excavate-sort-extract-and-separate-interlune-core-intellectual-property","title":"Excavate, Sort, Extract, and Separate: Interlune Core Intellectual Property","source_name":"Interlune (company blog)","date_accessed":"2026-08-09"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/09/16/moon-mining-helium-quantum-computing/","title":"Moon helium deal is biggest purchase of natural resources from space","source_name":"Washington Post","date_accessed":"2026-08-09"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":"Enriched from Interlune blog (core IP), Washington Post, NASA.gov. 5 keyFacts added. 2 sources added (total 4).","manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[{"label":"Form factor","value":"Autonomous lunar excavation rover"},{"label":"Function","value":"Excavate, sort, heat, and separate He-3 from lunar regolith"},{"label":"Prospecting mission","value":"Multispectral camera on Astrolab FLEX rover (2026)"},{"label":"First flight","value":"NASA payload demonstration, 2028"},{"label":"Pilot plant","value":"Lunar pilot plant planned for 2029"}],"createdAt":"2026-08-07T05:00:29.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-08T05:55:01.031Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":null,"autonomyStatement":null,"autonomyStatementSource":null,"demoForensics":null,"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null,"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Product","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/models/interlune-harvester","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/models/interlune-harvester","name":"Interlune Harvester","description":"The Interlune Harvester is an autonomous robotic lunar excavation system designed to extract helium-3 from lunar regolith. It uses vision sensors and ground-penetrating radar to determine optimal harvesting routes, a robotic arm to excavate, centrifugal sorting to separate fine particles, and heating to release trapped volatile gases (including helium-3) from the regolith surface. The harvester is designed to be smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient than prior concepts. A NASA SBIR Phase III contract funds payload development for a 2028 flight demonstration, and a multispectral camera will fly on an Astrolab FLEX rover in 2026 to scout helium-3 concentrations.","identifier":"a20168cc-bbe5-45d5-9e29-ccea33a62837","category":"space","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":"prototype","lifecycle_state":"active","architectural_position":{"cohort":"space","sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":4,"primary_source_types":["secondary-established-publication"]}}}