Intuitive Machines Shares Fall 11% After Losing NASA Lunar Rover Contract
LUNR•LUNR•LUNR•LUNR•Intuitive Machines shares slid 16% intraday and closed down 11% after NASA awarded lunar rover development to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost. The company still holds a March 2026 $180.4 million contract for south polar lunar payload delivery under the Artemis program.
NASA selected Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to build lunar terrain vehicles for the Moon Base under the Artemis mission, with Blue Origin delivering the first rover unit and Firefly Aerospace tasked with carrying the initial drones to the lunar surface.
Intuitive Machines shares tumbled as much as 16% on the day of the announcement, ultimately settling down 11% as investors weighed the impact of losing the lunar rover contract on near-term revenue and valuation.
Despite this setback, Intuitive Machines retains an $180.4 million contract awarded in March 2026 to deliver science and technology payloads to the moon’s south polar region, maintaining a key role in NASA’s lunar exploration roadmap.
