Unless you live under a (moon) rock, you're familiar with private investment in space exploration, such as Elon Musk's SpaceX. 

What you might not know is that investment is touching a familiar name in our industry.

Interlune, a "space infrastructure and resources company" is expanding its strategic partnership with Vermeer to develop and deliver the critical infrastructure and services necessary for a permanent human presence on the Moon.

Vermeer automates solar pile layout

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.”

This continued partnership leverages Vermeer’s nearly eight decades 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 will focus on general civil engineering and infrastructure concepts to deliver the essentials required for a robust 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,” 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.”

Interlune and Vermeer plan to develop, test, and deliver a mission-ready lunar site-preparation tool by 2028, aligning 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 is meant to 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.