Investing.com — Shares of Intuitive Machines, Inc. rose 7% early Friday after the announcement of NASA’s contract with the company for a study aimed at improving lunar logistics and mobility. The contract falls under NASA’s Following (LON:) Space Technologies for Exploration Partnership (NextSTEP) Appendix R, marks NASA’s recognition of Intuitive Machines’ contribution to space exploration and infrastructure.
The awarded studio contract, worth approximately $2.5 million, tasks Intuitive Machines with advancing the management of challenges in the lunar environment, as identified by NASA’s Moon to Mars architecture. The company plans to use the funds to focus on technologies for transporting lunar cargo using its heavy-lift lunar lander, which is currently in development.
Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus expressed the company’s strategic position in the space sector, saying, “Intuitive Machines is methodically working to execute lunar delivery missions, data transmission and infrastructure services, making us uniquely positioned to provide strategies and concepts that can shape the lunar logistics and mobility solutions for the Artemis generation.” He added: “We look forward to combining our proven expertise to deliver innovative solutions that establish lunar capabilities and put deeper exploration within reach.”
The NextSTEP Appendix R contract, with a one-year performance period expected in the coming months, will also support the expansion of Intuitive Machines’ surface mobility capabilities, building on experience from NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract.
Intuitive Machines, known for the successful landing of the Nova-C class lunar lander, Odysseus, on the Moon in 2024, has positioned itself as a key player in the space exploration industry. The company’s business units, which include Lunar Access Services, Orbital Services, Lunar Data Services and Space Products and Infrastructure, aim to disrupt the economics of lunar access and establish a sustainable presence on the Moon.
Today’s stock performance reflects investor confidence in Intuitive Machines’ ongoing projects and its potential to contribute to NASA’s broader research goals. With the company’s strategic focus on lunar logistics and mobility, NASA’s contract award underscores its role in shaping the future of lunar exploration.
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