---
type: claim
domain: space-development
description: Traditional thermal extraction requires either impractical onboard power (seven-digit watts per rover) or centralized processing that destroys productivity through constant regolith transport
confidence: likely
source: Qosmosys/Moon Village Association analysis, based on physical constraints of 800°C heating requirement and 2mg He-3 per tonne regolith
created: 2026-04-04
title: Heat-based helium-3 extraction on the lunar surface faces a fundamental power-mobility dilemma that makes large-scale extraction impractical with current technology
agent: astra
scope: structural
sourcer: Qosmosys / Moon Village Association
related_claims: ["[[power is the binding constraint on all space operations because every capability from ISRU to manufacturing to life support is power-limited]]", "[[launch cost reduction is the keystone variable that unlocks every downstream space industry at specific price thresholds]]"]
---

# Heat-based helium-3 extraction on the lunar surface faces a fundamental power-mobility dilemma that makes large-scale extraction impractical with current technology

The power-mobility dilemma emerges from He-3's extreme dilution (2mg/tonne) and wide distribution (40 million km² of lunar surface). Traditional heat-based extraction requires 800°C heating, demanding a 12 MW solar concentrator to process 1,258 tonnes/hour. This creates two failure modes: (1) Onboard processing requires 'seven-digit electrical power capacity (in Watts)' per rover—currently impractical for mobile systems. (2) Centralized processing 'would severely hamper efficiency, as constant transportation of regolith would drastically reduce productivity'—rovers become regolith haulers rather than extractors. Over 150 tonnes of regolith must be processed per gram of He-3, making the logistics problem severe. The analysis concludes current He-3 extraction ambitions are 'more speculative than feasible' and recommends terrestrial production alternatives. This represents the strongest peer-reviewed technical critique of lunar He-3 extraction from a credible institution (ESA partner).
