Intuitive Machines and Rocket Lab Stocks Rise as NASA Plans $20 Billion Moon Base

TLDR

• Intuitive Machines jumped 14.7% and Rocket Lab climbed over 10% on Wednesday after Tuesday’s selloff
• NASA is pausing its Gateway moon-orbiting station and redirecting funds toward a permanent lunar surface base
• The Artemis II mission launches April 1, sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon
• NASA’s moon base plan opens a multibillion-dollar market for private space companies
• Private ventures from Amazon and SpaceX are adding extra business for rocket and space infrastructure firms

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Shares of space companies bounced back sharply on Wednesday after a rough Tuesday. Intuitive Machines rose 14.7% and Rocket Lab gained over 10%, recovering from a combined average drop of nearly 5% the day before.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc., RKLB

Tuesday’s dip came after NASA said it would pause work on its Gateway project, a planned space station that would orbit the moon. That news briefly worried investors who saw less potential business for space companies.

But the mood shifted quickly. NASA made clear it was not stepping back from space, just changing direction.

Instead of the Gateway station, NASA is now focusing on building a permanent base on the lunar surface. The agency estimates this project could cost tens of billions of dollars, with a $20 billion figure being cited.

Rather than doing the work itself, NASA plans to hire private companies to build and operate lunar infrastructure. That includes housing, power systems, and cargo delivery to the moon’s surface.

This is where Intuitive Machines fits in. The company specializes in landing cargo on the moon and is well placed to compete for those contracts. Analysts rate the stock a Strong Buy.

Rocket Lab, which closed at $72.88 after Wednesday’s rebound, is rated a Moderate Buy. The company benefits from a growing pipeline of both government and private launch contracts.

Artemis II Set for April 1 Launch

The immediate catalyst for Wednesday’s gains was the upcoming Artemis II mission. Scheduled for April 1, it will be the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years.

Four astronauts will travel more than one million miles around the far side of the moon on a 10-day mission. They will fly aboard an Orion spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin, launched on the Space Launch System rocket built with Boeing as a key partner.

The SLS rocket is not reusable and has cost an estimated $24 billion to develop. SpaceX, by comparison, has raised around $12 billion in its entire history and its reusable rockets now account for more than half of all orbital launches worldwide.

The mission will test life support systems and deep-space navigation ahead of future crewed lunar landings.

Private Sector Adding to Space Business

Beyond NASA, private companies are expanding space activity. Amazon and SpaceX are both building large satellite networks for global internet access. Military contracts are also growing.

This wider activity gives rocket companies like Rocket Lab a more diversified revenue base that is less dependent on any single government program.

Firefly Aerospace shares also gained 16% on Wednesday. Redwire added 1.1%. The broader S&P 500 rose 0.5% and the Dow gained 0.7% on the same day.

Rocket Lab shares stand at $72.88 following Wednesday’s recovery.

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