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Vermeer expands its space based partnership to help build Moon base

Vermeer and Interlune are expanding their partnership to build essential Moon base infrastructure.

The expanded collaboration between the companies builds on a joint development agreement that led to the full-scale prototype of the Interlune excavator, which was unveiled in May 2025.

“Reliable, autonomous mobility and heavy-duty excavation are the backbones of any permanent settlement on the Moon,” said Rob Meyerson, Co-Founder and CEO of Interlune. “By working with Vermeer, we are moving from developing prototypes to repeatable, scalable systems that will help build the Moon Base and enable the harvesting of lunar resources to power the future.”

The expanded partnership will leverage Vermeer’s nearly 80 years of expertise in designing, testing and building industrial equipment for jobsites around the world and Interlune’s specialized knowledge in space systems, lunar environments and robotic systems.

The joint effort focuses on general civil engineering and infrastructure concepts to deliver the essentials required for an in-space economy, transforming harsh environments into a viable workspace for commercial and government missions.

“For nearly 80 years, Vermeer has built a legacy by solving complex civil engineering challenges on Earth, and we are now ready to apply that expertise to the most demanding job site in history: the Moon,” said Jason Andringa, President and CEO of Vermeer Corporation, who also serves on the Interlune Advisory Board. “We are fully committed to working with Interlune, NASA and others to deliver the essential infrastructure required for the Moon Base.”

Mission-ready target   

Interlune and Vermeer team members discussing subscale prototypes of lunar soil processing technology at Interlune’s Seattle headquarters in July 2026. From left: Rob Meyerson (Interlune), Andy Strobel (Vermeer), Gary Lai (Interlune), Jacob Keeley (Vermeer), and Jason Andringa (Vermeer).

Interlune and Vermeer plan to develop, test and deliver a mission-ready lunar site-preparation tool by 2028, which algins their efforts with NASA’s Moon Base program plan.

The tool will be developed and integrated with a lunar rover and demonstrated first on Earth and then on the Moon to validate its ability to prepare and stabilize the lunar surface for sustained operations.

This work will establish a foundation for reliable construction and resource extraction beyond Earth and help define the equipment standards needed to build on the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Founded in 2021, Interlune is a privately funded space infrastructure and resources company. Interlune is developing and testing industrial systems that will operate autonomously in extreme environments. These technologies will create the fundamental infrastructure to support a permanent human presence on the Moon and an in-space economy.

An integral part of Interlune’s mission is harvesting natural resources in space, starting with helium-3 followed by hydrogen, oxygen, metals, rare earth elements and water.

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