Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR) secured another NASA science award today, as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) selected the Houston-based company to supply the spacecraft platform and system-level integration for FALCON-RADAR, an Earth observation mission built to study clouds and convection from orbit. The win marks the company’s third NASA Earth science mission in the last six months and further sharpens its shift from lunar lander pioneer to high-volume spacecraft manufacturer.

Key Points

• NASA JPL selected Intuitive Machines to provide the IM 300 spacecraft bus and system-level integration for FALCON-RADAR.
• The mission targets launch no earlier than 2029 and will carry a W-Band cloud-profiling Doppler radar on a single polar, sun-synchronous satellite.
• FALCON-RADAR joins EAGLE-VSWIR and EDGE, giving the company three NASA Earth science missions in six months.
• Intuitive Machines reports third-quarter 2026 results on Thursday, November 12, before the market opens.

What Intuitive Machines Will Build for NASA

FALCON-RADAR belongs to NASA’s Fleet for the Atmospheric Linking Commercial Observations with NASA (FALCON). Under the award, Intuitive Machines will deliver the IM 300 bus and integrate the mission’s W-Band Cloud Profiling Doppler Radar. The instrument is designed to observe shallow, light precipitation and small-scale cloud dynamics. The satellite will fly in a polar, sun-synchronous orbit, and NASA is targeting launch no earlier than 2029.

Within the FALCON fleet, the radar will supply two-dimensional cloud context and detect convection. Scientists will then pair that data with water vapor and aerosol measurements from other missions to better understand the processes that drive rain and snow near Earth’s surface. In addition, the company noted that the mission’s millimeter-wavelength radar technology could eventually support Moon and Mars applications.

A Growing NASA Earth Science Portfolio for LUNR

Notably, Intuitive Machines is developing FALCON-RADAR in collaboration with EAGLE-VSWIR, the JPL hyperspectral mission it won in August, and the two missions will produce complementary science data. EAGLE-VSWIR also flies on the IM 300 bus. Meanwhile, the company is providing a larger IM 500 bus, system-level integration, and mission solutions for NASA’s EDGE (Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer) mission, which NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center manages.

CEO Steve Altemus framed the award as a direct extension of the company’s manufacturing model. He said Intuitive Machines pairs spacecraft production at scale with deep mission systems and integration expertise. He also called Earth science “a natural fit” that draws on capabilities the company already delivers to commercial, civil, and national security customers.

Spacecraft Manufacturing Takes Center Stage

The FALCON-RADAR win builds on a busy stretch for the company. In August, Intuitive Machines booked a $600 million-plus multi-satellite communications program in the same week it captured EAGLE-VSWIR. Earlier, L3Harris selected the company to develop 18 spacecraft platforms for missile-tracking satellites. Intuitive Machines also agreed to buy Lanteris Space Systems for $800 million to position itself as a full-spectrum space prime.

Taken together, these awards show the IM 300 platform now supports programs across both civil and national security space. For investors, repeat NASA science business also signals that the company can win steady work beyond its lunar lander franchise, diversifying revenue as it scales production.

What’s Next for LUNR

Investors will get a closer look at backlog and execution when Intuitive Machines reports third-quarter 2026 results on November 12 before the open, followed by an 8:30 a.m. ET conference call. Intuitive Machines is a constituent of the PRISM Space Index. Track LUNR’s performance and latest coverage on its PRISM MarketView company page.

The post Intuitive Machines Wins Third NASA Earth Science Mission in Six Months With FALCON-RADAR Award appeared first on PRISM MarketView.

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