Blue Origin’s AI device converts Moon dust into energy.

Blue Origin presented a prototype that converts lunar soil into usable energy at Amazon’s re:Invent 2025 conference in Las Vegas. The device was developed with technology from Istari Digital, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to generate engineering designs under strict constraints.

Istari CEO Will Roper said the system functions like a vacuum that draws in moon dust and extracts heat. That heat can be stored and used as a power source. He described the concept as a way to turn lunar material into a type of battery.

Roper said the approach addresses a major challenge for lunar missions. Spacecraft on the moon face a two-week period of darkness every 28 days. During this lunar night, temperatures plunge and onboard systems can fail without a durable energy supply. A device that produces power from surface material could help spacecraft operate through those conditions.

Roper said that the entire battery design was generated by AI. He previously served as assistant secretary of the Air Force during the first term of President Donald Trump and worked on modernization efforts for both the Air Force and the Space Force.

He said Istari’s platform reduces the risk of AI hallucinations by imposing rules and parameters before any design work begins. He described the setup as a fence that the system cannot cross. Inside that boundary, the AI can generate multiple concepts while still meeting required standards.

Roper said the process does not guarantee that a design is optimal. It confirms only that each requirement has been met and that the final product complies with technical specifications before moving toward operational testing.

Istari is backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The company also works with the U.S. government and is a prime contractor with Lockheed Martin on the x-56A experimental unmanned aircraft.

Blue Origin displayed the moon dust device during a presentation at the conference. The companies did not announce a deployment timeline but said the technology shows how AI can accelerate development for space hardware.