New York, Jan 17, 2026, 05:24 EST — The market has closed.
- Intuitive Machines shares surged 10.7% on Friday, adding to an already choppy start to 2026 for space stocks
- Sentiment across several space stocks got a boost following a sector call from Morgan Stanley
- U.S. markets will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day; trading picks up again Tuesday
Intuitive Machines shares surged 10.7% on Friday, finishing at $21.58. The stock traded in a range from $19.37 up to $22.395 during the session, with roughly 19.6 million shares changing hands.
This matters because the stock now acts as a proxy for near-term contract catalysts and overall risk appetite in space tech—a sector known to jump on just one headline.
Morgan Stanley boosted the sector’s momentum on Friday, calling the space technology field “Attractive” for 2026. Analyst Kristine Liwag highlighted 2025 as a “banner year” and expects 2026 to gain from “higher launch cadences”—more rockets heading skyward—plus fresh product launches, policy backing, and a maturing market. Investing.com
In that note, Morgan Stanley raised Rocket Lab and MDA to “Overweight,” signaling they expect these stocks to outperform. At the same time, the firm downgraded Iridium, which operates in satellite communications. Investing.com
Intuitive Machines saw a sector boost as investors absorbed its $800 million acquisition of spacecraft maker Lanteris, funded by $450 million in cash plus $350 million in Intuitive Machines shares.
A separate Form 3 filing linked to the transaction revealed that Christopher J. Johnson, President of Lanteris Space Systems, declared no beneficial ownership in Intuitive Machines securities in his initial ownership disclosure.
Traders are watching NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle program closely — the agency’s next-gen rover project for Artemis. NASA recently wrapped up initial testing on three commercially owned vehicles, including one from Intuitive Machines.
The calendar plays a role as well. U.S. stock markets will be shut on Monday, Jan. 19, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, delaying the next sentiment update until the opening bell on Tuesday.
That said, the setup works both ways. Should sector excitement wane or concerns over deal integration and share issuance emerge, the stock could quickly surrender its gains — it’s already showing wide swings during the day.
Traders will be looking to see if Friday’s rally sticks when U.S. markets reopen Tuesday, Jan. 20. They’ll also keep an eye out for any new developments on government space budgets and NASA’s plans for rover missions and lunar infrastructure.
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