Interlune, a space infrastructure and resources firm, and Vermeer Corporation, a worldwide producer of heavy industrial machinery, have strengthened their strategic alliance to design, test, and implement the necessary surface infrastructure needed for establishing a human settlement on the Moon.
The alliance is based on an existing joint development deal which resulted in the construction of a prototype of the lunar excavator, first revealed in May 2025.
Engineering Heavy Machinery for the Lunar Frontier
Establishing a sustained presence on the Moon requires civil engineering capabilities tailored to extreme extraterrestrial conditions. The partnership fuses Vermeer’s nearly eight decades of industrial equipment design and manufacturing heritage with Interlune’s specialized expertise in space systems engineering, robotics, and lunar environment dynamics.
Together, the companies are focusing on general civil engineering concepts and heavy infrastructure platforms designed to support a growing in-space economy. The joint initiative aims to convert the harsh lunar terrain into an operational workspace capable of supporting both commercial initiatives and government-led missions.
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“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.”
“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,” says 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.”
Target 2028: Mission-Ready Lunar Site-Preparation Equipment
Interlune and Vermeer have established a strategic timeline to deliver a mission-ready lunar site-preparation tool by 2028, matching the operational roadmap of NASA’s Moon Base program.
The success of these joint operations will lay the ground rules for extraterrestrial civil engineering, defining industrial equipment standards that will eventually support human expansion to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.