Insider Brief
- Bluefors has agreed to purchase up to 10,000 liters of helium-3 annually from Interlune between 2028 and 2037 to secure supply for quantum technology.
- Helium-3 is extremely scarce on Earth but abundant on the Moon, where Interlune plans to harvest it using lightweight, energy-efficient lunar extraction systems.
- The deal aims to stabilize the quantum computing supply chain as demand for helium-3 rises with the growth of dilution refrigerators and large-scale quantum computers.
- Image: Photo by Kym MacKinnon on Unsplash
Bluefors, the world’s leading maker of cryogenic cooling systems for quantum technology, has signed an agreement to purchase up to 10,000 liters of helium-3 annually from Interlune, a U.S. company developing space-based resource extraction. The deliveries are scheduled from 2028 through 2037, according to an Interlune news release.
The agreement marks one of the first commercial commitments to secure helium-3, a scarce isotope on Earth but present in significant quantities on the Moon. According to Interlune, helium-3 was deposited on the lunar surface by the solar wind and first identified in Apollo-era samples. The release on the deal described helium-3 as a critical material for quantum computers and one of the most valuable substances that can be transported from space.
Bluefors is among the world’s largest consumers of helium-3. The company uses it in its dilution refrigerators, which cool materials to temperatures below 10 millikelvin, close to absolute zero. At such temperatures, qubits in quantum computers can operate with greater stability and reliability. The company has installed more than 1,500 dilution refrigerators and 15,000 cryocoolers globally, making it the market leader in cryogenic systems for quantum technology, physics research, and life sciences.
“Interlune will provide the huge amounts of helium-3 that the quantum industry needs in the coming years to drive innovation, commercialisation, and progress forward,” said Bluefors founder and CEO Rob Blaauwgeers, in the release. “Sourcing abundant Helium-3 from the Moon helps Bluefors build cooling technologies that will unlock the potential of quantum computing even further. The quantum future is built on Bluefors cooling technology, and Interlune is now a vital partner in that future.”
Quantum’s Rising Demand
The push comes as the quantum industry edges closer to commercial deployment. Technology giants including Google, IBM, Intel, Amazon, and Microsoft have recently reported progress in scaling up quantum computers. These advances are expected to accelerate demand for helium-3, which is essential for sustaining the extreme cold required for large-scale quantum operations.
Bluefors said the Interlune supply deal is designed to stabilize the quantum supply chain and prepare for this demand spike. Officials highlighted the role helium-3 will play not only in quantum computing, but also in advanced physics experiments and specialized medical applications.
“A majority of the quantum technology industry relies on Bluefors systems to operate and accelerate development. This agreement is another example of the foresight and vision that have made Bluefors the leader in their field. We are excited to help Bluefors continue advancing companies toward unlocking scientific and medical discoveries made possible only by near-absolute-zero temperatures,” Rob Meyerson, Interlune co-founder and CEO, said in the release.
Interlune’s Lunar Harvesting Plans
Interlune is one of the first companies aiming to commercialize helium-3 resources from the Moon. Its harvesting technology is described as lighter, smaller, and more energy-efficient than rival concepts, cutting costs for both transportation and lunar operation. The company is also developing Earth-based systems to separate helium-3 from terrestrial gas supplies, which it says will provide an interim source before full lunar operations begin.
According to the company’s plans, multiple lunar missions are scheduled this decade, backed by contracts with U.S. government agencies. In addition to helium-3, Interlune intends to extract rare earths, industrial metals, and water from the Moon, laying the foundation for a long-term in-space economy.
Helium-3 has been described in government and industry statements as one of the most valuable materials known. Its rarity on Earth makes scaling quantum computing supply chains dependent on new sources. Currently, Helium-3 is one of the world’s most expensive substances, with prices ranging from $2,000 and $15,000 per liter, or about $150,000 per gram. For comparison, gold is now trading at about $120 a gram.
By locking in a decade-long commitment, Bluefors and Interlune aim to reduce uncertainty for quantum system builders preparing for broader commercial adoption.
