3 minute read•Updated 5:01 PM EDT, Tue April 8, 2025
Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW), a key player in commercial lunar exploration, has selected SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket to launch its fourth lunar lander mission, known as IM-4.
Scheduled for liftoff in 2027 from Florida, the mission will also carry two advanced lunar data relay satellites designed to support NASA’s Near Space Network Services (NSNS) initiative.The IM-4 mission is part of Intuitive Machines' broader strategy to establish a robust commercial presence on and around the Moon. These upcoming satellites represent a significant step in building a lunar communications infrastructure that will enable continuous connectivity for future surface missions.
“Lunar surface delivery and data relay satellites are central to our strategy to commercialize the Moon...In addition to the contracted NSNS service, the satellites are capable of hosting additional payloads and science sensors to serve commercial industry and other government customers.” - Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines.
The two satellites aboard IM-4 are the second and third planned for deployment as part of Intuitive Machines’ five-satellite lunar communications constellation. The company previously announced that the first of these satellites would launch with its IM-3 mission, introducing a “pay-by-the-minute” communications model to serve lunar surface missions.
The final two satellites are expected to follow in subsequent missions, completing the network to fully support both NASA’s Artemis program and broader commercial lunar operations.
The IM-4 mission will also feature six payloads from NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Among them is a European Space Agency-led drill suite tasked with prospecting for water ice near the Moon’s south pole; a key region for future human exploration and potential lunar resource utilization.
NASA has entrusted Intuitive Machines with several task orders under the NSNS contract, which aims to provide communication and navigation support for Artemis and other lunar efforts. Under this contract, the company will deliver both Direct-to-Earth (DTE) communication capabilities and a lunar relay infrastructure, critical for the next generation of sustained human and robotic lunar exploration.
The partnership with SpaceX underscores a continuing trend of commercial synergy in lunar exploration, where innovative startups like Intuitive Machines leverage proven launch providers to scale infrastructure and services beyond Earth orbit.
With IM-4, Intuitive Machines is not just sending another lander to the Moon; it's laying the groundwork for a new era of lunar telecommunications, data services, and sustained operations that could open the door to a permanent human and commercial presence on the Moon.
