---
title: "Ignore WW3 – these electric excavators are going TO THE MOON [video]"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/277326023.md"
description: "Engineering startups Astroport Space Technologies and Astrolab have demonstrated their UTIPA Excavator, an all-electric machine aimed at lunar construction. This initiative is part of a broader effort to harvest helium-3 from the Moon, a critical resource for modern technology. Established firms like Komatsu and Vermeer are also developing lunar mining equipment due to the increasing demand for helium, which is scarce on Earth. The collaboration between Astroport and Astrolab aims to create a sustainable lunar economy by combining their technologies for efficient resource extraction."
datetime: "2026-02-28T21:28:38.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/277326023.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/277326023.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/277326023.md)
---

# Ignore WW3 – these electric excavators are going TO THE MOON [video]

Engineering startups Astroport Space Technologies and Astrolab have successfully completed a real-world demonstration for their UTIPA Excavator –an all-electric machine designed to become the cornerstone of lunar construction solutions and pave the way for autonomous construction projects on the Moon.

Established equipment firms like Komatsu and Vermeer have been developing lunar construction and mining equipment for years –and the reason is helium. Helium plays a critical role in the manufacturing of semiconductors, chips, optics, and all the other stuff that makes EVs, autonomy, the Internet, and the rest of twenty-first century life possible. The problem is that, despite being the second-most common element in the universe,helium is pretty rare on Earth–and we are rapidly running out. As such, there are intense economic and political pressures to find new and reliable sources of helium somewhere,_anywhere_else, and that demand has sparked a new modern space race focused on harvesting helium on the Moon and getting it back home.

The race is on, then, to develop equipment assets capable of digging up lunar materials like rocks and sand from up to three meters below the surface, extract helium-3 (a light, stable isotope of helium believed to exist in abundance on the Moon),then package it, contain it, and ship it back to Earth, where we can turn it into stuff to sell like good little capitalists.

“We are excited to provide the mobility backbone for Astroport’s groundbreaking construction technology,” said Jaret Matthews, CEO of Astrolab. “Astrolab is dedicated to establishing a viable lunar ecosystem. By combining our FLEX rover’s versatility with Astroport’s civil engineering expertise, we are delivering the essential capabilities required for a sustainable lunar economy.”

### Related Stocks

- [6301.JP](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/6301.JP.md)
- [KMTUY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/KMTUY.US.md)

## Related News & Research

- [Komatsu reports FY results; introduces FY26 outlook](https://longbridge.com/en/news/284332717.md)
- [Komatsu Ltd. (6301) Receives a Buy from UBS](https://longbridge.com/en/news/285708703.md)
- [Komatsu (TSE:6301) Valuation In Focus After Strong Share Price Momentum](https://longbridge.com/en/news/277305857.md)
- [A Look At Columbia Banking System (COLB) Valuation As Recent Trading Softens Short Term Momentum](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286751609.md)
- [Cathie Wood Invests $2.5M in Bullish Stock (BLSH) and Trims Stake in Streaming Giant Roku (ROKU)](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286994498.md)