Intuitive Machines, Inc. (LUNR) stock experienced a significant rise on Friday following the awarding of a $116.9 million contract from NASA. This contract represents the company’s fourth win under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The mission entails delivering six science and technology payloads to the Moon, leveraging Intuitive Machines’ capabilities in lunar delivery, data transmission, and autonomous operation. This contract underscores the company’s role in supporting NASA’s ambitious Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.
Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus emphasized the significance of the contract, stating, “Over the last several years, we’ve witnessed NASA’s successful Artemis I mission and the campaign’s progress toward sustainably returning humans to the surface of the Moon, highlighting the importance of autonomous missions that advance humanity’s understanding of the Moon and the commercial services required to support the industry.”
The company is currently in the final assembly stage of its second lunar mission, with plans to deliver the completed lander to the launch facility by late 2024. Meanwhile, Intuitive Machines is actively working on its third lunar mission, focusing on systems integration and testing.
Wall Street analysts generally view Intuitive Machines as an “Outperform” stock, based on the company’s history of success and its strong position in the burgeoning lunar exploration market. While the stock experienced a slight decline of 4.74% over the past three months, its revenue has grown significantly by 130.13% year-over-year.
As of Friday’s publication, Intuitive Machines shares were up 22% at $5.88. The company’s focus on lunar exploration and its continued success in securing NASA contracts position it as a key player in the future of space exploration.
