Blue Origin, a U.S. space company, has introduced a new AI-powered prototype gadget that can transform Moon dust into a viable energy source. This unveiling took place at Amazon’s re:Invent 2025 event in Las Vegas, in partnership with Istari Digital, a startup company.
The device, dubbed by Istari CEO Will Roper as a “moon vacuum,” is designed to gather lunar dust and harness its heat, essentially converting the Moon’s surface material into an energy form akin to a battery. This breakthrough innovation could enable spacecraft to function during the lunar night, a two-week period of darkness and extreme cold that presents significant obstacles for conventional power systems.
In a recent CNBC interview, Roper elaborated on Istari’s AI platform, which generates designs adhering to specific rules and parameters to avoid design errors. The AI can propose innovative solutions meeting project requirements within these boundaries, while engineers ensure compliance with operational standards before implementation.
Istari Digital, supported by notable figures like former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, is actively collaborating with the U.S. government and is a key contractor with Lockheed Martin on the x-56A unmanned aircraft project.