Mining the Moon’s helium-3: The race fueling quantum dreams and fusion hopes

Humanity has long considered the Moon a place of wonder and possibility. Now it’s being talked about as a potential source for one of humankind’s most unusual and valuable materials: Helium-3. Locked into the fine dust of the lunar surface by billions of years of solar wind, this light, non-radioactive isotope has, for many years, attracted attention from tech firms, space startups, and governments because of its outsized potential.

It can help chill quantum computers to near absolute zero, improve certain medical images and national-security scanners, and, in theory, serve as an almost-clean fusion fuel. Together, those promises turn helium-3 into a decisive strategic commodity and a driver for an emerging moon-mining race. The United States and China emerge as the principal rivals. Both have placed lunar exploration high on their national agendas and explicitly tied it to future technological and strategic advantage.

Russia, too, has declared its intent to join the competition, while the European Union, India, and other smaller players are beginning to take their position in this contest. As the world lines up for a stake in lunar resources, the question remains. Who will get there first, and what will it mean for the future of technology, energy, and geopolitics?

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