Texas Space Commission Awards Grant to Interlune Corp.

Austin, TX - The Texas Space Commission (TSC) announced a Space Exploration & Aeronautics Research Fund (SEARF) grant of up to $4.84 million has been awarded to Interlune Corporation for their “Lunar Regolith Simulant Center of Excellence” project. 

The Lunar Regolith Simulant Center of Excellence will be located near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The proposed project will develop and test highly specialized simulants of moon dirt, or regolith. Simulated lunar regolith is crucial to testing technology and equipment being developed by commercial companies and government agencies, including instruments, landers, rovers, and other equipment. Interlune will eventually leverage its proprietary system to harvest natural resources from space, starting with helium-3 (H3) found on the surface of the Moon. The company intends for these simulants to be accessible by other companies, research institutions, and government organizations.

The project timeline is set to take place over three years. The objectives included with this grant agreement are: 

• License helium implantation technology from NASA and establish operational capability to produce simulant: June 2025 – March 2026; 
• Scale production capabilities: March 2026 – May 2027; and 
• Verify and commission large-scale production line: May 2027 – November 2027. 

These critical milestones will enable Interlune to establish a dedicated facility in Texas that will manufacture highfidelity, advanced simulants which support commercialization of the lunar economy. The SEARF grant will reimburse Interlune for eligible expenditures, such as equipment, research and development, salaries, and other direct costs. 

###
 

About Interlune Corporation
Interlune is a natural resources company committed to sustainable and responsible harvesting of natural resources from space to benefit humanity. Interlune was founded in 2020 by a team of highly experienced government and industry experts. Aiming to be the first U.S. company to commercialize resources from space, Interlune has developed patent-pending technology that harvests materials from the lunar soil, or regolith, using the smallest, most energyefficient machinery of its kind. Ultimately, Interlune will offer these valuable resources to commercial and government customers on Earth. Learn more.

About the Texas Space Commission
Established by the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023 through House Bill 3447, authored by Rep. Greg Bonnen, M.D., the Texas Space Commission advances innovation in the fields of space exploration and commercial aerospace to strengthen the state’s proven leadership across civil, commercial, and military domains. To date, the total appropriation made by the Legislature for the SEARF Trust is $450 million. Learn more.

Contact
To submit a media inquiry to the Texas Space Commission, please send an email to TSCPressInquiries@space.texas.gov.