Intuitive Machines, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR) shares rose on Wednesday after the company secured a NASA contract worth up to $148.3 million to deliver a production-line-qualified Nova-C lander to the Moon by 2028.
The firm-fixed-price award supports NASA’s accelerated lunar delivery schedule and expands operational sites for the Moon Base under Artemis.
The contract includes a $68.6 million base award for mission execution using a lander with lunar flight heritage.
It also includes a $79.7 million performance incentive tied to successful product-line qualification. The incentive is intended to support a steady supply of rapid-turnaround landers.
Intuitive Machines said it is scaling manufacturing to support higher-volume production and create a standardized lunar transport service.
Payloads And Lunar Logistics Role
The mission will carry scientific and operational payloads, including SCALPSS stereo cameras and a laser retroreflector array for cislunar positioning.
It will also include a LETS radiation monitor to collect environmental safety data.
The company said the task order marks its sixth Commercial Lunar Payload Services award and strengthens its role as a lunar logistics and transport provider for civil, national security, and commercial customers.
"We are shifting the paradigm from custom aerospace engineering to commercial mass production of lunar infrastructure," CEO Steve Altemus said.
LUNR Short Interest Rises
Short interest in Intuitive Machines rose in the most recent bi-weekly reporting period, increasing to 37.84 million shares from 34.79 million.
That represents 28.85% of the company’s public float. Based on the average daily volume of 14.23 million shares, short sellers would need about 2.66 days to cover their positions.
LUNR Earnings Preview And Analyst Price Targets
Intuitive Machines will provide its next financial update on August 6, 2026 (estimated).
- EPS Estimate: Loss of 8 cents (Up from Loss of 22 cents)
- Revenue Estimate: $221.67 million (Up from $50.31 million)
Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy rating with an average price target of $39.29. Recent analyst moves include:
- Roth Capital: Buy (Raises Target to $75.00) (May 28)
- Cantor Fitzgerald: Overweight (Raises Target to $43.00) (May 19)
- Canaccord Genuity: Buy (Raises Target to $41.00) (May 15)
LUNR ETF Exposure: Funds With The Biggest Weights
- SPDR S&P Kensho New Economies Composite ETF (NYSE:KOMP): 0.85% Weight
- State Street SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETF (NYSE:ROKT): 5.46% Weight
- Defiance Drone and Modern Warfare ETF (NYSE:JEDI): 7.38% Weight
Significance: Because LUNR carries significant weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.
LUNR Stock Price Activity: Intuitive Machines shares were up 2.15% at $21.58 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo: courtesy of Intuitive Machines
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