"Race to Mine Helium-3 on the Moon Heats Up with $18 Million Funding"
Startup company Interlune plans to mine the moon for helium-3, a rare and valuable isotope estimated to be worth $4 billion per ton. With plans to join a 2026 NASA mission for research and build a pilot plant by 2028, Interlune aims to begin shipping helium-3 back to Earth by 2030. This endeavor is part of a larger lunar rush, with NASA also intending to start mining on the moon by 2032, sparking discussions about the ethical and commercial implications of human interaction with the celestial body.