In-space services & exploration
Intuitive Machines
Houston lander builder turned space infrastructure prime: two Nova-C Moon landings that both tipped over, a NASA relay contract capped at $4.82 billion, and an $800 million satellite acquisition.
Intuitive Machines is a Houston company that builds robotic Moon landers and, since January 2026, satellites. Stephen Altemus, Kam Ghaffarian and Tim Crain founded it in 2013; Altemus is president and chief executive, Ghaffarian is chairman and Crain is chief technology officer. It has traded on Nasdaq under the ticker LUNR since a merger with the blank-cheque vehicle Inflection Point Acquisition Corp closed on 14 February 2023, and it now presents itself as a space infrastructure company spanning spacecraft manufacturing, communications, networks, mission operations and ground infrastructure.
Both of the company's Nova-C landers reached the lunar surface and both ended up on their side. Odysseus, flying the IM-1 mission under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme, came down hard near the crater Malapert A on 22 February 2024, tipped over, and survived six days — the first American spacecraft to land on the Moon since Apollo. Athena followed on 6 March 2025, landing sideways near the south pole after its laser altimeter returned unusable readings. Chief executive Steve Altemus later attributed the outcome to signal noise and distortion in the altimeter, long shadows cast by low-angle polar sunlight, and orbital crater imagery that did not match what the lander saw on descent.
The third lander, IM-3, is aimed at Reiner Gamma, a bright swirl on the Moon's western near side where an unexplained magnetic field persists, and carries payloads for NASA, the European Space Agency, the Italian space agency and Korea's astronomy institute. Chief technology officer Tim Crain said the primary and redundant laser rangefinders come from two separate vendors; Aerospace America reported that the lander also carries an extended crater map library and that the company plans twelve lunar orbits before descent instead of the three IM-2 had. The flight has slipped: an early-2026 launch was still being described in mid-2025, and by January 2026 the target had moved to the second half of the year.
Landing is no longer the whole business. NASA selected Intuitive Machines in September 2024 for a Near Space Network Services relay contract with a maximum potential value of $4.82 billion across a five-year base period and a five-year option, under which it plans a Lunar Data Network of communication, navigation and timing satellites in high Earth and lunar orbit. In January 2026 it closed its purchase of Lanteris Space Systems, the satellite manufacturer previously known as Maxar Space Systems, for $800 million before closing adjustments — $450 million in cash and $350 million in stock. The company reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $206.2 million and a contracted backlog of $1.8 billion at 30 June 2026, against full-year guidance of $900 million to $1 billion.
What they build and operate
- Nova-C lunar lander · Spacecraft · Operational
Robotic lunar lander flown twice under NASA's CLPS programme — Odysseus in February 2024 and Athena in March 2025; both reached the surface and both came to rest on their side.[1][4] - Nova-D lunar lander · Spacecraft · In development
Larger follow-on lander, first assigned to the IM-5 surface delivery, sized to carry two lunar rovers.[1] - Near Space Network Services relay · Service · In development
Communication and navigation services for NASA and other near-space users under a firm-fixed-price, multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task order contract with a maximum potential value of $4.82 billion across a five-year base period and a five-year option, awarded in September 2024.[3][1] - Lunar Data Network · Constellation · In development
Planned relay constellation in high Earth and lunar orbit for continuous communication, navigation and timing service to lunar assets; the first satellite is manifested on IM-3.[7][2] - Lanteris satellite platforms · Platform · Operational
Satellite buses acquired with Lanteris Space Systems: large geostationary spacecraft, the WorldView Legion-class Lanteris 500, and the SDA-class Lanteris 300.[8]
Milestones
- 2013
Founded in Houston by Stephen Altemus, Kam Ghaffarian and Tim Crain to pursue commercial and government lunar exploration.[1] - 14 February 2023
Completed a merger with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp and began trading on Nasdaq under the ticker LUNR.[1] - September 2023
Opened the 105,572-square-foot Lunar Production and Operations Center at the Houston Spaceport.[6] - 22 February 2024
IM-1's Odysseus lander made a hard landing near the crater Malapert A and tipped over, yet became the first American spacecraft on the Moon since Apollo; it survived six days.[1] - 17 September 2024
NASA awarded the Near Space Network Services lunar relay contract, with a maximum potential value of $4.82 billion.[3] - 06 March 2025
IM-2's Athena lander came down on its side near the lunar south pole after its laser altimeter returned distorted readings, and operations ended the next day.[4][1] - 04 November 2025
Announced an $800 million agreement to acquire Lanteris Space Systems, the former Maxar Space Systems.[1][8] - January 2026
IM-3 was being described as a second-half-2026 launch, a slip from the early-2026 window discussed in mid-2025.[7][5] - 13 January 2026
Closed the Lanteris Space Systems acquisition for $800 million before closing adjustments — $450 million in cash and $350 million in stock.[8] - 13 August 2026
Reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $206.2 million and a contracted backlog of $1.8 billion that it called a record.[9][10]
Facilities
- Lunar Production and Operations Center · Houston Spaceport, Houston, Texas
105,572-square-foot headquarters on a 12.5-acre site, opened September 2023, with clean rooms, 3D printing areas, machine shops and a flame range for propulsion testing.[6]
Leadership
- Steve Altemus
Co-founder, president and chief executive officer (as of 13 January 2026)[8][1] - Kam Ghaffarian
Co-founder and chairman (as of 14 August 2026)[1] - Tim Crain
Co-founder and chief technology officer (as of 22 July 2025)[5][1]
Sources
WikipediaIntuitive Machinesen.wikipedia.org
WikipediaIM-3en.wikipedia.org
NASANASA Selects Lunar Relay Contractor for Near Space Network Servicesnasa.gov
Spaceflight NowIntuitive Machines' CEO points to issues that prevented upright touchdown during IM-2 Moon landingspaceflightnow.com
Aerospace AmericaHow Intuitive Machines is planning to make its third moon landing a successful oneaerospaceamerica.aiaa.org
Burns & McDonnellLunar Production & Operations Centerburnsmcd.com
SatNewsIntuitive Machines Expands Infrastructure Focus Beyond Lunar Landingssatnews.com
Via SatelliteIntuitive Machines Completes Lanteris Space Systems Acquisitionsatellitetoday.com
GlobeNewswire press release via StockTitanIntuitive Machines Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Resultsstocktitan.net
GlobeNewswire press release via The Manila TimesIntuitive Machines Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results; Continues Record Backlog Expansion With Quarter-end Backlog of $1.8 Billionmanilatimes.net
Coverage of Intuitive Machines
Satellite communications
Intuitive Machines outlines $600m-plus IM-1300 satellite programme
The IM-1300 will underpin design, manufacturing, integration and support for multiple spacecraft. The customer, delivery calendar and most programme terms remain undisclosed.
Earth observation
Intuitive Machines outlines IM-300 role in EAGLE-VSWIR mission
The company would supply the spacecraft, integrate JPL’s imaging spectrometer and run ground and mission operations. NASA lists the Earth-observation launch no earlier than 2028.
Update this profile
Work at Intuitive Machines or represent it? If something here is wrong or missing, email contact@spaceexploration.news with a public source for the change. Every profile edit is verified before it is published.
Request a profile change