NASA has awarded a contract to Intuitive Machines, LLC of Houston, to support the agency’s lunar relay systems as part of the Near Space Network, operated by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.This Subcategory 2.2 GEO to Cislunar Relay Services is a new firm-fixed-price, multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task order contract. The contract has a base period of five years with an additional 5-year option period, with a maximum potential value of $4.82 billion. The base ordering period begins Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2029, with the option period potentially extending the contract through Sept. 30, 2034.Lunar relays will play an essential role in NASA’s Artemis campaign to establish a long-term presence on the Moon. These relays will provide vital communication and navigation services for the exploration and scientific study of the Moon’s South Pole region. Without the extended coverage offered by lunar relays, landing opportunities at the Moon’s South Pole will be significantly limited due to the lack of direct communication between potential landing sites and ground stations on Earth.The lunar relay award also includes services to support position, navigation, and timing capabilities, which are crucial for ensuring the safety of navigation on and around the lunar surface. Under the contract, Intuitive Machines also will enable NASA to provide communication and navigation services to customer missions in the near space region.The initial task award will support the progressive validation of lunar relay capabilities/services for Artemis. NASA anticipates these lunar relay services will be used with human landing systems, the LTV (lunar terrain vehicle), and CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) flights.As lunar relay services become fully operational, they will be integrated into the Near Space Network’s expanding portfolio, enhancing communications and navigation support for future lunar missions. By implementing these new capabilities reliance on NASA’s Deep Space Network will be reduced.NASA’s goal is to provide users with communication and navigation services that are secure, reliable, and affordable, so that all NASA users receive the services required by their mission within their latency, accuracy, and availability requirements.This is another step in NASA partnering with U.S. industry to build commercial space partners to support NASA missions, including NASA’s long-term Moon to Mars objectives for interoperable communications and navigation capabilities. This award is part of the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program and will be executed by the Near Space Network team at NASA Goddard.
It's ridiculous when companies act like they won the max value of a decade-long multi-vendor IDIQ contract that hasn't even awarded task orders yet.
Apollo astronauts made history by driving the Lunar Roving Vehicle across the Moon’s surface. Now, their insights are helping push the frontier further with the Moon RACER team’s next-gen Lunar Terrain Vehicle. The team is delivering a static mock-up to @NASA_Johnson for testing, a second mobile mock-up is expected to be unveiled in November.
How cool is this! We had the visit of Astronauts Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt to check the design of our Moon Racer Lunar Terrain Vehicle, together with other astronauts including our VP of Operations Jack Fischer we performed several tests, space suits included!! AdLunam 🚀🌕
Intuitive Machines, Inc., a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, has announced the selection of the Cobalt-60 (Co-60) heat source from Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) for their Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (“AFRL/RV”) Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear Power (“JETSON”) Low-power (“LP”) Mission Application contract.Intuitive Machines’ $9.5 million JETSON Low-power contract, awarded in 2023, is developing a new spacecraft concept and design which utilizes a compact Radioisotope Power System (“RPS”) to provide electrical power. The RPS will use a Co-60 heat source from USNC to heat a Stirling cycle dynamic power conversion system, which in turn will provide electrical power for on-orbit mobility, thermal regulation, and payloads.The JETSON Low Power team, led by Intuitive Machines, performed a thorough evaluation of multiple prospective heat sources, both radioisotope and fission-based, and selected Co-60 based on the information provided and known from other programs. This innovative demonstration of a radioisotope heat source coupled with a Stirling engine power converter supports the Department of Defense by furthering the development of alternate power sources for propulsion, electrical power, and maneuverability in space.“The use of a non-Pu-238 radioisotope (“Co-60”) and coupling it with a Stirling engine is a first not only for the nuclear industry but the space industry as well,” says Dr. Paolo Venneri, Executive Vice President of Advanced Technologies at USNC, “I am proud of the team and eager to work with Intuitive Machines to get JETSON LP in space.”
“Selection of USNC to provide a Co-60 based heat source to the JETSON LP mission is an important step forward, not just for the JETSON effort but for future commercialization of Stirling-based dynamic power conversion for a wide range of space applications that we believe could fit well within Intuitive Machines strategic roadmap,” said Dr. Tim Crain, Intuitive Machines co-founder. “The Intuitive Machines team hopes to leverage their expertise in nuclear power systems, power generation, and space exploration to provide safe, efficient, and scalable solutions for a wide range of future space missions.
Intuitive Machines Advances Radioisotope Power System for AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate [Oct 22]QuoteIntuitive Machines, Inc., a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, has announced the selection of the Cobalt-60 (Co-60) heat source from Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) for their Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (“AFRL/RV”) Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear Power (“JETSON”) Low-power (“LP”) Mission Application contract.
Intuitive Machines, Inc., a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, has announced the selection of the Cobalt-60 (Co-60) heat source from Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) for their Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (“AFRL/RV”) Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear Power (“JETSON”) Low-power (“LP”) Mission Application contract.
Oct 31, 2024. This Way UpEpisode 3 of This Way Up's limited series, The Dream is Alive, brings you an inside look at the IM-1 mission with Intuitive Machines’ Navigation Lead, Mike Hansen. In this episode, titled Laser Late Than Never, Mike reveals never-before-told details of the IM-1 mission's laser altimeter mishap and the heroic last-second software patch sent to the lander during its final lap around the Moon. Learn how quick thinking and teamwork saved the mission at a critical moment!
Happy 2nd Birthday to the Flame Range. Two years ago Intuitive Machines opened its state of the art testing facility specifically designed to further develop, test and vacuum-qualify its cryogenic engines to deliver payloads to the Moon.PS: Please don’t feed the rocket engines
Nov 16, 2024The next lunar lander launches in January, 2025, by Intuitive Machines. The Primary payload from NASA will drill, looking for water ice. Landing near the lunar south pole, the lander also carries a radiation monitor, and a cellular phone network test. It includes a "hopper" that will use its small rocket engines to land in permanently shadowed regions like craters to also look for water ice, going where rovers could not go. There is also a rover, that will travel at least a mile, to map, take 3D pictures, dig samples, and test the cellular phone network. It will also dig some regolith to sell to NASA, helping establish the Artemis accords norm of selling material extracted from planetary bodies. The rover also carries it own tiny rover, an MIT "AstroAnt" -- a prototype for future robotic swarms for inspection, diagnosis, and eventually also assembly and repair. The Falcon 9 rocket delivering the lander is also shared with several other missions, including a lunar communication satellite, and NASA's Lunar Trailblazer. That orbiter will detect and map water and minerals on the lunar surface, as well as look for future landing sites. Additionally, another included spacecraft from AstroForge will head for a near-Earth asteroid, prospecting it for metals as a prelude to future asteroid mining. This craft received the first commercial deep space license from the FCC.
Today, NASA announced completion of the first round of human-in-the-loop testing for the Intuitive Machines Moon RACER lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) at the agency’s Johnson Space Center. RACER, an acronym for Reusable Autonomous Crewed Exploration Rover, is one of three commercially owned and developed unpressurized LTVs under NASA’s consideration as part of its Artemis campaign. The Moon RACER is designed to feature a rechargeable electric battery and a robotic arm and accommodates two astronauts and some 400 kg (882 lbs.) of cargo. It is intended to pull a trailer loaded with an additional 800 kg (1,764 lbs.). Intuitive Machines aims to provide Moon RACER as a lunar infrastructure service to commercial companies and NASA under the agency’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (“LTVS”) contract. If selected, Intuitive Machines would retain ownership and operational capabilities that will enable remote operation of the LTV between Artemis missions for approximately 10 years. This establishes the framework for ongoing commercial scientific discovery and long-term human space exploration, even when crews are not on the Moon. From Concept to Reality in Four Months In April 2024, NASA selected Intuitive Machines for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services Feasibility Assessment. Building on the Company’s success delivering payloads to the Moon’s surface, the Moon RACER team developed a roadmap for a state-of-the-art LTV. The vehicle is engineered to endure extreme conditions at the Moon’s South Pole and be delivered by the company’s heavy cargo lander, Nova-D. Designed with insights from Apollo-era moonwalkers Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt, the Moon RACER incorporates feedback from astronauts who drove the original Apollo rovers. Key design improvements include a simplified, ergonomically designed seatbelt, paddle controls that are easier to operate while wearing bulky spacesuits and gloves, and dual control capability, allowing the rover to be driven from either the driver or passenger side. In November, Intuitive Machines completed rigorous mobility and robotic testing around the Meteor Crater National Landmark in Arizona, simulating the challenges it will face on the lunar surface. Driving Toward the Next Milestone The human-in-the-loop tests proved invaluable, as NASA astronauts acted as test subjects, offering critical feedback on the Moon RACER’s functionality, evaluating display interfaces and controls, and identifying potential safety concerns or design issues. This feedback is being directly integrated by Intuitive Machines engineers to refine the design based on lessons learned.In 2025, NASA plans to announce the company awarded the next phase of the LTVS contract, marking a significant step forward in the Artemis campaign’s goal to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
NASA has selected multiple companies to expand the agency’s Near Space Network’s commercial direct-to-Earth capabilities services, which is a mission-critical communication capability that allows spacecraft to transmit data directly to ground stations on Earth.The work will be awarded under new Near Space Network services contracts that are firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. Project timelines span from February 2025 to September 2029, with an additional five-year option period that could extend a contract through Sept. 30, 2034. The cumulative maximum value of all Near Space Network Services contracts is $4.82 billion.
Intuitive Machines, Inc, a space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, has secured additional contracts from NASA’s Near Space Network (“NSN”) for Direct-to-Earth (“DTE”) services. These contracts further position Intuitive Machines as a vital partner in supporting NASA’s missions to the Moon, and beyond.DTE communication and navigation services are critical for enabling missions to exit Earth’s orbit, reach lunar destinations, and explore deep space. The new contract awards include: • Subcategory 1.2: DTE Geostationary (“GEO”) to Cislunar DTE Services, offering enhanced data transmission capabilities and autonomous operations. • Subcategory 1.3: xCislunar DTE Services, addressing mission needs for highly elliptical orbits and deep space operations.Both contracts are firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task orders designed to bolster NASA’s Lunar Exploration Ground Segment. These awards add capacity to alleviate demand on the Deep Space Network and support unique mission requirements.In September, NASA awarded Intuitive Machines NSN Subcategory 2.2, which involves deploying and operating a constellation of lunar data relay satellites.“We are privileged to help NASA deliver essential data and transmission services that support missions navigating the critical pathways between Earth, the Moon, and beyond,” said Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus. “We believe these new awards complement our existing NSN contract and will expand our space communications and navigation service offerings. They position us to capitalize on the $4.82 billion maximum potential value of the NSN contract, while supporting NASA’s Artemis campaign and commercial endeavors to expand the lunar economy.”Intuitive Machines intends to leverage its proven DTE lunar data transmission network, supported by long-term agreements with strategically located radio astronomy dishes worldwide. During its first lunar mission, the Company successfully transmitted data from beyond the Earth’s orbit, around the Moon, and on the Moon’s surface.Project timelines for these contracts span February 2025 to September 2029, with an additional five-year option period that could extend a contract through September 30, 2034.
Contract Award Date: Feb 01, 2025Base and All Options Value (Total Contract Value): $4,820,000,000.00DescriptionThis is an award notice for the Near Space Network (NSN) Services, Subcategories 1.2 GEO to Cislunar Direct to Earth (DTE) and 1.3 xCislunar DTE, to Intuitive Machines, LLC.
Based on the final evaluation results, two offerors successfully met the RFP requirements, and are eligible for award. Under this solicitation, the Government may elect to make multiple awards. I have determined that Kongsberg Satellite Services AS’ proposal being Technically Acceptable, with a Moderate past performance rating, and a fair and reasonable price, and Intuitive Machines, LLC’s proposal, being Technically Acceptable, with a High past performance rating, and a fair and reasonable price, both provide best value to the Government.Accordingly, I select Kongsberg Satellite Services AS and Intuitive Machines, LLC for contract awards under the Near Space Network Services acquisition for Subcategory 1.2 “GEO to Cislunar DTE.
I have determined that Intuitive Machines, LLC and SSC Space US, Inc.’s proposals provide the best value; Intuitive Machines, LLC and SSC Space US, Inc. both received a High past performance rating, which offers a moderate advantage over Kongsberg Satellite Services AS, and significantly lower and far more advantageous total evaluated prices. Based on its lower Past Performance Rating (Moderate) and significantly higher price, I concluded that Kongsberg Satellite Services AS’s proposal does not provide best value to the Government. Accordingly, I select Intuitive Machines, LLC and SSC Space US Inc. for contract awards under the Near Space Network Services acquisition for Subcategory 1.3 “xCislunar DTE.”
Intuitive Machines, Inc. announced today that NASA has awarded the Company a study contract to advance lunar logistics handling and offloading; and surface cargo and mobility under the agency’s Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnership (NextSTEP) Appendix R.The NextSTEP Appendix R study contract is intended to advance learning in managing everyday challenges in the lunar environment identified by NASA’s Moon to Mars architecture.“Intuitive Machines has been methodically working on executing lunar delivery, data transmission, and infrastructure service missions, making us uniquely positioned to provide strategies and concepts that may shape lunar logistics and mobility solutions for the Artemis generation,” said Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus. “We look forward to bringing our proven expertise together to deliver innovative solutions that establish capabilities on the Moon and place deeper exploration within reach.”Intuitive Machines intends to use the approximately $2.5M award to focus on technologies related to the transportation of lunar payloads using the company’s heavy-cargo-class lunar lander, which is currently in development. In addition, the Company expects to expand its surface mobility expertise, gained while working under NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract. The NextSTEP Appendix R contract has a one-year performance period, which is expected to begin in the coming months.
The Intuitive Machines-led Moon RACER team has incorporated NASA, teammate, and external expert design modifications and completed a second round of Crew Assessment Testing and Safety ahead of an anticipated Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) next phase award selection. The Moon RACER team has built on the momentum of the first round of Crew Assessment Testing and Safety Phase I (CATS I), and Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to incorporate design upgrades to its LTV, focused on astronaut safety, mobility, and operational efficiency. These updates reflect the team’s continued commitment to delivering a vehicle that meets the evolving needs of NASA’s Artemis campaign, with human-centric innovations tailored for both exploration and contingency scenarios on the lunar surface. If selected for NASA’s LTV delivery and demonstration mission, Intuitive Machines’ Moon RACER team would enable remote operations of the LTV between Artemis missions for approximately 10 years, establishing the ongoing commercial scientific discovery and long-term human exploration. A timeline of continuous progress:In under a year, the Intuitive Machines-led Moon RACER team has transformed a concept into a driving reality—guided by expert feedback aimed to provide the best one-stop-shop solution for LTV, surface delivery, and data transmission services. Since NASA selected the Intuitive Machines-led team for one of its LTV Services Feasibility Assessment contracts in April 2024, Intuitive Machines has: • Completed a full-scale static mock-up and Crew Assessment Test & Safety Phase I with Apollo legends Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt, along with Shuttle-era and International Space Station astronauts in September 2024, giving Moon RACER the benefit of hard-won experience from humanity’s only lunar drivers. • Conducted field testing on the terrestrial Moon Racer mock-up at Meteor Crater National Landmark in November 2024, simulating lunar terrain and stress-testing robotic systems. • Completed NASA Human-in-the-Loop Testing at Johnson Space Center in December 2024, where astronauts in pressurized spacesuits evaluated the Moon RACER’s mock-up controls, displays, and safety features in mission-like conditions. • Used CATS Phase I and Human-in-the-Loop feedback to drive hardware and software modifications—including seatbelt usability, control ergonomics, dual-driver capability, and visibility enhancements. This month, the team completed CATS II—bringing the newly improved terrestrial mock-up Moon RACER back before NASA astronauts, who may one day drive it on the lunar surface. “We’re grateful to work alongside NASA as one team to transform feedback into action,” said Intuitive Machines LTV Lead Gary Spexarth. “Iteration is where ideas evolve into impact, and every refinement brings us closer to delivering a solution that may redefine what’s possible for our customers on the Moon.” CATS II Feedback Applied: Improved Front Deck Access to Mast-Mounted Payloads The front deck has been modified based on crew feedback to allow improved access to mast-mounted payloads. The updated configuration reduces physical strain and increases stability during ingress/egress maneuvers, particularly during extravehicular activities. Refined Crew Compartment Entry & Incapacitated Crew Rescue (ICR)A newly optimized crew compartment provides easier and faster ingress and egress, even while wearing full pressurized suits. Notably, the vehicle now includes hardware and structural features designed to support Incapacitated Crew Rescue (ICR) operations, enabling a second astronaut to safely recover and secure a pressurized-suited crewmate in an emergency. These additions represent a critical step toward meeting NASA’s requirements for safe crew return under all lunar conditions.Human-centered Interior for Full Anthro Range We’ve enhanced seat and controller adjustability to support the full anthropometric range of suited astronauts. These refinements maintain excellent visibility and control, whether an astronaut is operating the vehicle manually or coordinating tasks in tandem with robotic systems. Streamlined Science Stowage for Suited Operations The LTV’s crew and robotic stowage systems were adjusted to streamline science operations. The updated design allows astronauts in pressurized suits to access and manage scientific samples more easily, improving workflow and reducing fatigue during collection, cataloging, and transfer tasks. Revised PLUS System for Aft Deck Access The Payload and Logistics Utility System (PLUS) has been revised to improve aft deck accessibility. The modifications make it significantly easier for astronauts in pressurized suits to reach and interact with sample stowage containers, optimizing efficiency during back-deck operations. “We’ve made targeted design modifications based on direct feedback to approach one of the final contractual reviews before award selection with clarity and confidence,” said Spexarth. “It’s the Moon RACER team’s collective capability, agility, and relentless drive that transforms feedback into function.” Toward a Lunar Future The Moon RACER vehicle is a part of NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (LTVS) contract, which is designed to enable sustained surface mobility across the Moon’s South Pole region for Artemis crews and robotic missions alike. The LTVS feasibility assessment contract is still competitive, as the Intuitive Machines-led Moon RACER team is one of only three vendors vying for the delivery and demonstration mission, which NASA plans to award by the end of 2025. If selected, Intuitive Machines intends to provide Moon RACER as a service—delivering it to the lunar surface via the Company’s Nova-D cargo-class lander, operating it remotely between missions with its data transmission network, and supporting scientific and commercial applications over a 10-year lifecycle.
The Texas Space Commission has selected Intuitive Machines, Inc. for a grant up to $10 million from the Space Exploration and Research Fund (“SEARF”). This funding supports the development of an Earth reentry vehicle and orbital fabrication lab designed to enable microgravity biomanufacturing and is intended to serve as a critical risk-reduction platform for the Company’s future lunar sample return missions. “Returning samples from space is one of the most complex challenges in exploration,” said Intuitive Machines Chief Growth Officer Tim Crain, Ph.D. “We are grateful to the State of Texas for fostering an environment where companies like Intuitive Machines may develop transformative space technologies. We hope that the Texas Space Commission’s investment in this capability helps create high-tech jobs, expand Texas’ leadership in space commercialization, and lay the foundation for new industries in the Lone Star State.” In 2022, Intuitive Machines began initial development of the preliminary design for an Earth reentry vehicle capable of supporting missions returning from low Earth orbit, the Moon, or Mars. As Intuitive Machines refined this technology, it partnered with Rhodium Scientific, for commercial microgravity biomanufacturing in space, where certain materials, processes, and pharmaceuticals can be more efficiently produced or exhibit unique properties not possible on Earth. “Rhodium Scientific is a leader in biomanufacturing in space,” said Rhodium Scientific Founder and CEO Olivia Gámez Holzhaus. “Our work as performers perfecting our processes for in-space biomanufacturing with DTRA and DARPA has enabled us to establish all hardware and protocols necessary for a pipeline to develop and scale biomanufacturing in space.” Together, Intuitive Machines and Rhodium Scientific are developing and managing technical approaches to payload integration for both lunar and low Earth orbit missions, including safe reentry through Earth’s atmosphere. The 12-month SEARF phase one effort will assist in advancing the collaboration with Rhodium Scientific and will support spacecraft development through Critical Design Review and the creation of a full-scale ground prototype for customer development. The Company believes this foundational phase and its partnership with Rhodium Scientific will pave the way for future grants and large-scale projects to bring the reentry system closer to flight readiness.
