space deals
Intuitive Machines lands $600M satellite deal, NASA ‘spacecraft bus’ contract
Houston-based space infrastructure company Intuitive Machines has scored two astronomical deals.
The deals add to the company’s soaring success. As of June 30, Intuitive Machines had a record-high $1.8 billion backlog of orders, a $1.5 billion increase from the end of last year. The current backlog includes orders for more than 80 spacecraft.
The company, which went public in 2023, expects this year’s revenue to total $900 million to $1 billion. In the first half of 2026, Intuitive Machines generated nearly $393 million in revenue.
Intuitive Machines estimates its total available market is valued at more than $150 billion.
$600 million-plus deal represents ‘important milestone’
On Monday, Intuitive Machines said it picked up a $600 million-plus deal to develop three commercial satellites for an undisclosed customer over the course of about two years.
Intuitive Machines says it will design, manufacture, set up and support several spacecraft “for a critical communications infrastructure mission.”
Steve Altemus, the company’s CEO, says the deal represents “an important milestone for Intuitive Machines and reflects the confidence our customers place in our ability to deliver high-performance spacecraft for a broad range of mission needs.”
Company nails down NASA deal for ‘spacecraft bus’
A day after announcing the $600 million-plus deal, Intuitive Machines said it secured a new contract with NASA.
Intuitive Machines says NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California will use the company’s IM 300 “spacecraft bus” for an EAGLE-VSWIR Earth observation mission. The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028.
Aside from supplying the IM 300 bus, Intuitive Machines will carry out mission support services.
The low-Earth-orbit mission will be equipped with Intuitive Machines’ hyperspectral visible to shortwave infrared (VSWIR) instrument. This technology sees colors and details that aren’t visible to the human eye.
The instrument is “designed to perform surface biology and geology observations from Earth orbit while demonstrating technologies that could support future lunar and Mars exploration missions,” Intuitive Machines says.
Intuitive Machines builds mission-critical spacecraft, systems, and infrastructure for business and government customers. To date, the company has produced more than 300 spacecraft, delivered over 575 pounds of payload to the moon and launched about 100 satellites.