Iowa's Vermeer Aims to Harvest Helium on the Moon

Vermeer Corp. eyes lunar mining as private industry interest in space exploration grows.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 3:50am

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A highly structured abstract painting in earthy tones of green, brown, and blue, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex scientific forces and potential of lunar mining and helium-3 extraction.As private industry sets its sights on the moon, the potential to harvest rare and valuable resources like helium-3 could unlock new frontiers of energy and technology on Earth.Pella Today

Vermeer Corporation, an Iowa-based manufacturing company, is setting its sights on mining helium-3 on the moon. The company sees this rare isotope as a valuable resource for applications like medical imaging, cryogenics, and nuclear fusion, with helium-3 worth an estimated $25 million per kilogram. Vermeer's CEO Jason Andringa says the company is positioning itself to take advantage of increased accessibility to the moon through new American-built rockets like Artemis, SpaceX's Starship, and Blue Origin's New Glenn.

Why it matters

Vermeer's lunar mining ambitions highlight the growing interest and investment from private industry in space exploration and resource extraction beyond Earth. As space travel becomes more feasible, companies are looking to capitalize on rare materials available on the moon that are scarce on our planet. Successful lunar mining operations could unlock new technologies and industries on Earth.

The details

Vermeer plans to begin harvesting helium-3 from the moon within the next 4-6 years. Helium-3 is an isotope that is rare on Earth but more abundant on the lunar surface, as solar winds have leaked it from our planet's atmosphere. Vermeer sees helium-3 as a critical resource for advancements in medical imaging, cryogenics, and nuclear fusion power.

  • Vermeer aims to begin harvesting helium-3 from the moon within the next 4-6 years.
  • The Artemis II mission, which paves the way for future lunar exploration, recently ended in success.

The players

Vermeer Corporation

An Iowa-based manufacturing company that is setting its sights on mining helium-3 on the moon, seeing it as a valuable resource for various applications on Earth.

Jason Andringa

The CEO of Vermeer Corporation, who has stated that helium-3 is 'one of the most, if not the most valuable commodity in the solar system' and is critical for the company's lunar mining ambitions.

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What they’re saying

“Helium-three is one of the most, if not the most valuable commodity in the solar system. It's worth $25 million per kilogram, and it's really not available on Earth.”

— Jason Andringa, CEO, Vermeer Corporation

“Medical imaging is one right now. Cryogenics for current computing and quantum computing is another one. And then the really big future potential need is that helium-three is the ultimate fuel for nuclear fusion.”

— Jason Andringa, CEO, Vermeer Corporation

What’s next

Vermeer is positioning itself to take advantage of increased accessibility to the moon through new American-built rockets like Artemis, SpaceX's Starship, and Blue Origin's New Glenn, which the company hopes will enable its lunar mining operations in the coming years.

The takeaway

Vermeer's lunar mining ambitions highlight the growing interest and investment from private industry in space exploration and resource extraction beyond Earth. As space travel becomes more feasible, companies are looking to capitalize on rare materials available on the moon that are scarce on our planet, which could unlock new technologies and industries on Earth.