Intuitive Machines Expands Deep Space Navigation Services with Agreement to Acquire KinetX, Positioning Itself for Constellation Management and Moon-to-Mars Data Relay

Rhea-AI Summary

Intuitive Machines (Nasdaq: LUNR) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire KinetX, a private aerospace company specializing in deep space navigation and systems engineering. The acquisition, expected to close by end of 2025, positions Intuitive Machines as a comprehensive provider of space infrastructure services.

KinetX, the only commercial company NASA-certified for deep space navigation, brings over 30 years of experience and has already supported both of Intuitive Machines' lunar missions. The integration will enhance Intuitive Machines' Data Transmission Services segment, enabling expanded capabilities in constellation management and Moon-to-Mars operations.

The strategic acquisition aims to strengthen Intuitive Machines' position in emerging opportunities including NASA's Near Space Network Services, potential Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System replacement, Mars data relay missions, and commercial deep space operations.

Positive

• Acquisition of the only NASA-certified commercial deep space navigation company
• Integration of KinetX's proven navigation software that already supports Intuitive Machines' lunar missions
• Expansion into precision navigation and flight dynamics for deep space operations
• Access to established government and defense contracts including IRIDIUM constellation support
• Enhanced positioning for NASA's Near Space Network Services and Mars data relay opportunities

Negative

• Acquisition subject to closing conditions that could delay completion until end of 2025
• No disclosed financial terms or acquisition cost details
• Integration risks of merging two complex aerospace operations

Insights

Aerospace Industry Analyst

Intuitive Machines' acquisition of KinetX significantly enhances its deep space capabilities, strengthening its position in lunar-to-Mars infrastructure services.

Intuitive Machines' acquisition of KinetX represents a strategic vertical integration that substantially enhances the company's deep space capabilities. By acquiring the only commercial company NASA-certified for deep space navigation, Intuitive Machines gains proprietary navigation software and three decades of flight dynamics expertise that has already supported both of its lunar missions.

This acquisition directly strengthens Intuitive Machines' Data Transmission Services segment, positioning the company to pursue several high-value opportunities including NASA's Near Space Network Services, potential replacement of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, Mars data relay missions, and commercial operation of Deep Space Network infrastructure. These represent significant potential revenue streams in the growing deep space economy.

KinetX brings valuable defense sector relationships, with its systems already supporting critical military assets like the IRIDIUM constellation and Mobile User Objective System. This diversifies Intuitive Machines' customer base beyond NASA into National Security Space programs, particularly relevant as cislunar operations become increasingly important to defense strategy.

The transaction leverages complementary capabilities - Intuitive Machines' lunar-proven flight systems paired with KinetX's navigation software and constellation management expertise - creating a more comprehensive service offering. This positions the company to capture larger contracts in the emerging infrastructure layer for lunar and Mars operations, particularly for autonomous data relay and secure constellation management services.

HOUSTON, Aug. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR) (“Intuitive Machines” or the “Company”), a leading space technology, infrastructure, and services company, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire KinetX, Inc. (“KinetX”), a privately held Arizona-based aerospace company with more than 30 years of experience delivering flight-proven deep space navigation, systems engineering, ground software, and constellation mission design to the U.S. government and international customers.

The acquisition strengthens Intuitive Machines’ position as a vertically integrated provider of end-to-end systems for the Moon, Mars, and beyond, marking the Company’s formal expansion into the precision navigation and flight dynamics segment of deep space operations.

The acquisition is expected to close prior to the end of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

With a heritage of supporting NASA and National Security Space missions, and as the only commercial company certified by NASA for deep space navigation, KinetX provides flight dynamics capabilities for both lunar and interplanetary missions. Its proprietary navigation software stack has supported both of Intuitive Machines’ lunar missions to date.

“We know our objective, becoming an indispensable infrastructure services layer for space exploration, and achieving it requires intelligent systems and exceptional talent,” said Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus. “Bringing KinetX in-house gives us both: flight-proven deep space navigation expertise and the proprietary software behind some of the most ambitious missions in the solar system. These capabilities accelerate our ability to deliver secure, autonomous data relay and constellation services at scale, reinforcing our position as a trusted provider for NASA, National Security Space, and future Mars operations.”

KinetX also brings deep and broad systems engineering capabilities along with a suite of ground software and analysis tools supporting the IRIDIUM constellation, Mobile User Objective System, and other key U.S. defense programs. Its simulation environment enables advanced orbit modeling, trade studies, and secure constellation operations—core services for the next generation of proliferated space architectures and U.S. cislunar strategy.

The acquisition reinforces the Company’s flight dynamics and navigation business line within Intuitive Machines’ Data Transmission Services segment. Intuitive Machines plans to pair KinetX software and talent with its lunar-proven flight systems, positioning the Company to lead in emerging opportunities like NASA’s Near Space Network Services, the potential for Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System replacement, Mars data relay missions, and commercial operations of legacy Deep Space Network infrastructure.

“For over 30 years, KinetX has supported deep space missions that redefine humanity’s place in the solar system, navigating to Mercury, beyond Pluto, asteroids, and the Moon,” said KinetX CEO Christopher Bryan. “Joining Intuitive Machines gives our team a broader operational canvas and shared commitment to precision, autonomy, and engineering excellence. We’re excited to help shape the next generation of space infrastructure with a partner that understands the demands of real flight and values the people and tools required to meet them.”

About Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines is a diversified space technology, infrastructure, and services company focused on fundamentally disrupting lunar access economics. In 2024, Intuitive Machines successfully soft-landed the Company’s Nova-C class lunar lander, on the Moon, returning the United States to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. In 2025, Intuitive Machines returned to the lunar south pole with a second lander. The Company’s products and services are focused through three pillars of space commercialization: Delivery Services, Data Transmission Services, and Infrastructure as a Service. For more information, please visit intuitivemachines.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “strive,” “would,” “strategy,” “outlook,” the negative of these words or other similar expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements regarding: regarding the proposed business combination transaction between the Company and KinetX, future events, plans and anticipated results of operations, business strategies, the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, the anticipated impact of the proposed transaction on the combined company’s business and future financial and operating results, the expected amount and timing of synergies from the proposed transaction, the anticipated closing date for the proposed transaction and other aspects of the proposed transaction. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s predictions, projections, or expectations based upon currently available information and data. Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The following important factors and uncertainties, among others, could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements in this presentation: The Company’s ability to successfully integrate KinetX’s businesses and technologies, which may result in the combined company not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected; the risk that the expected benefits and synergies of the proposed transaction may not be fully achieved in a timely manner, or at all; the risk that the Company will be unable to retain and hire key personnel; the risk with closing, including the risk that the conditions to the transaction are not satisfied on a timely basis or at all or the failure of the transaction to close for any other reason or to close on the anticipated terms; our reliance upon the efforts of our Board and key personnel to be successful; our limited operating history; our failure to manage our growth effectively; competition from existing or new companies; unsatisfactory safety performance of our spaceflight systems or security incidents at our facilities; failure of the market for commercial spaceflight to achieve the growth potential we expect; any delayed launches, launch failures, failure of our satellites or lunar landers to reach their planned orbital locations, significant increases in the costs related to launches of satellites and lunar landers, and insufficient capacity available from satellite and lunar lander launch providers; our customer concentration; risks associated with commercial spaceflight, including any accident on launch or during the journey into space; risks associated with the handling, production and disposition of potentially explosive and ignitable energetic materials and other dangerous chemicals in our operations; our reliance on a limited number of suppliers for certain materials and supplied components; failure of our products to operate in the expected manner or defects in our products; counterparty risks on contracts entered into with our customers and failure of our prime contractors to maintain their relationships with their counterparties and fulfill their contractual obligations; failure to successfully defend protest from other bidders for government contracts; failure to comply with various laws and regulations relating to various aspects of our business and any changes in the funding levels of various governmental entities with which we do business; our failure to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets and know how; our failure to comply with the terms of third-party open source software our systems utilize; our ability to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, and to address and remediate material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting; the U.S. government’s budget deficit and the national debt, as well as any inability of the U.S. government to complete its budget process for any government fiscal year, and our dependence on U.S. government contracts and funding by the government for the government contracts; our failure to comply with U.S. export and import control laws and regulations and U.S. economic sanctions and trade control laws and regulations; uncertain global macro-economic and political conditions (including as a result of a failure to raise the “debt ceiling”) and rising inflation; our history of losses and failure to achieve profitability and our need for substantial additional capital to fund our operations; the fact that our financial results may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter; our holding company status; the risk that our business and operations could be significantly affected if it becomes subject to any securities litigation or stockholder activism; our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; and other public filings and press releases other factors detailed under the section titled Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the section titled Part I, Item 2, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the section titled Part II. Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and in our subsequent filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the Investors section of our website at www.investors.intuitivemachines.com investors.intuitivemachines.com.

Contacts

For investor inquiries:

investors@intuitivemachines.com

For media inquiries:

press@intuitivemachines.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/15ff71cb-7b9e-4105-ad13-ae01f34def25

This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

FAQ

What company is Intuitive Machines (LUNR) acquiring and why?

Intuitive Machines is acquiring KinetX, a private aerospace company, to expand its deep space navigation capabilities and strengthen its position as a provider of end-to-end space infrastructure services.

When will the Intuitive Machines acquisition of KinetX close?

The acquisition is expected to close before the end of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

What are KinetX's main capabilities and certifications?

KinetX is the only commercial company certified by NASA for deep space navigation, with over 30 years of experience in flight dynamics, systems engineering, and constellation mission design.

How will the KinetX acquisition benefit Intuitive Machines' business?

The acquisition will enhance Intuitive Machines' Data Transmission Services segment, enabling them to provide secure autonomous data relay and constellation services, while positioning them for NASA contracts and Mars operations.

What existing programs does KinetX support?

KinetX supports the IRIDIUM constellation, Mobile User Objective System, and other U.S. defense programs, while also providing navigation for lunar and interplanetary missions.