NASA has awarded Intuitive Machines, a space exploration company, a Near Space Network (NSN) contract for communication and navigation services in the near-space region.

The contract, valued at up to USD 4.82 billion, is for Geostationary Orbit to Cislunar Relay Services. It has a base period of five years from October 1, 2024, with an additional five-year option period. Intuitive Machines plans to deploy lunar relay satellites and provide services to support NASA's Artemis campaign for establishing a long-term presence on the Moon.

As part of this contract, Intuitive Machines will debut its lunar satellite constellation, which the company sees as a strategic element in its vision to commercialize lunar activities. The constellation aims to provide enhanced data transmission services and support autonomous operations on the Moon.

Analyst QuickTake: This is the second NASA contract Intuitive Machine has secured in 2024, with the first contract awarded in August 2024 . The first contract, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, was valued at USD 116.9 million and aimed to transport six science instruments to the Moon's South Pole in 2027.