New York, January 28, 2026, 13:11 EST — Regular session
- Shares of Intuitive Machines jumped roughly 13%, hitting $22.91 in afternoon trading
- The company revealed NASA selected it from 34 volunteers to assist in tracking Artemis II; no money will change hands
- KeyBanc raised its price target to $26 while maintaining an Overweight rating
Intuitive Machines (LUNR) shares climbed roughly 13% to $22.91 on Wednesday, gaining $2.62 from Tuesday’s $20.29 close. The stock swung between $20.27 and $22.92, with around 8.5 million shares exchanging hands by early afternoon.
The Houston, Texas-based firm announced NASA has chosen it as one of 34 volunteer groups authorized to assist in tracking the Artemis II mission via its Space Data Network and ground stations. CEO Steve Altemus called tracking Artemis II “another opportunity to strengthen and expand our Space Data Network,” noting that no payments are involved. intuitivemachines.com
That’s crucial because Artemis II is a high-profile flight test, with the first launch window kicking off Feb. 6, the company said. For a stock that frequently reacts to contract news, involvement with Orion can attract momentum investors.
NASA confirmed Artemis II will send four astronauts on a lunar flyby, using its Near Space Network and Deep Space Network for tracking and communications. “Reliable communications are the lifeline of human spaceflight,” said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s space communications and navigation program. nasa.gov
A brokerage note gave a boost as well. KeyBanc’s Michael Leshock lifted his price target on Intuitive Machines from $20 to $26, maintaining an Overweight rating, according to TipRanks citing The Fly. Benzinga’s analyst ratings page also showed the $26 target.
Intuitive Machines plans to rely on one-way Doppler — a method that detects subtle changes in radio signals — to track the spacecraft’s position and velocity. The company employed this technique during Artemis I in 2022 and will hand over its Artemis II data to NASA for review.
The company described its Space Data Network, previously known as the Lunar Data Network, as a move beyond lunar landers toward building infrastructure to support missions throughout the Earth–Moon system. It cited the Artemis II project as further evidence of NASA’s growing reliance on commercial capabilities.
The collaboration offers no funding, and the path to paid projects remains unclear. If Artemis II faces delays or follow-up work linked to the network doesn’t materialize, the stock could be vulnerable after its recent surge.
The rally highlighted just how volatile smaller space stocks still are when Artemis or communications news drops. Big percentage gains can vanish fast if the next update falls short.
Investors are eyeing Feb. 6, the start of the first Artemis II launch window, as the next key catalyst. Attention will also focus on any NASA updates regarding tracking partners, along with new details from Intuitive Machines about its Space Data Network plans.
