Intuitive Machines vs Lunar Outpost: Landers, rovers & surface transport compared

November 2026 edition · assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence

Intuitive Machines ranks 15 on the Space 100 with a score of 82; Lunar Outpost ranks 53 with 73. Intuitive Machines is ahead on production, commercials, technology, positioning and firepower. Lunar Outpost is ahead on leverage. Level on deployment and progress. Intuitive Machines is based in Houston, United States, Lunar Outpost in Golden, United States. Intuitive Machines: Public, founded 2013. Intuitive Machines is named in 38 signals and Lunar Outpost in 111.

Intuitive Machines →

Houston, Texas, United States · Space · Planetary economy / Landers, rovers & surface transport · Public · founded 2013 · www.intuitivemachines.com

Intuitive Machines builds and operates lunar landers that deliver NASA and commercial payloads to the Moon's surface.

Space 100 · rank 15 · score 82

Scores, Space (of 10)

Deployment9
Production6
Commercials10
Progress10
Technology8
Positioning8
Firepower9
Leverage6

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

Intuitive Machines is a US lunar-services company (Nasdaq) whose IM-1 was the first commercial lunar landing (February 2024), with IM-3 through IM-6 in the pipeline, posting record Q2-26 revenue of $206.2M (>4x YoY) and FY26 guidance of $900M-1B (adjusted-EBITDA positive but still GAAP loss-making). Its backlog jumped to $1.8B (8.5x in six months) largely through four acquisitions, and it received an ATP on a $600M+ multi-satellite communications program, though much of its headline growth is acquired (the Lanteris deal) rather than organic. It is acquiring Maxar (pending), which would transform it from lunar services into a bus manufacturer and orbital-data-center player.

Latest signals

  • SiriusXM placed its SXM-11 satellite into service.Via Satellite
  • Intuitive Machines wins a $600 million contract for three geostationary communications satellites.SpaceNews
  • Space Forge partnered with Intuitive Machines to develop an orbital semiconductor reactor and return vehicle.EE Times

38 signals name Intuitive Machines.

Facts, with sources

  • NASA CLPS award IM-5, projected to launch in 2030SpaceNews
  • NASA selected Intuitive Machines for a mission to the lunar south polar regionSpaceNews
  • NASA-selected mission to the lunar south polar regionSpaceNews

195 facts on file.

Lunar Outpost →

Golden, Colorado, United States · Space · Planetary economy / Landers, rovers & surface transport · lunaroutpost.com

Lunar Outpost develops and delivers lunar rovers, including Pegasus, Eagle and MAPP, for NASA and commercial lunar missions.

Space 100 · rank 53 · score 73Robotics · watchlist · score 68

Scores, Space (of 10)

Deployment9
Production4
Commercials8
Progress10
Technology6
Positioning6
Firepower8
Leverage8

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

Lunar Outpost is a US lunar-rover company whose Pegasus crewed LTV (manual, autonomous, or teleoperated, >14.5 km/h) is the second of two NASA crewed Lunar Terrain Vehicle selections (May 2026, ~$220M; team with General Motors, Goodyear, and Leidos), the redundant-capability procurement. Its MAPP rover flew on IM-2 in 2025 (reaching the surface aboard the lander's off-nominal landing). Revenue is estimated at 10-100m class (the LTV award recognized over performance).

Latest signals

  • Beyond Earth Ventures lists Lunar Outpost in its investment portfolio.Beyond Earth Ventures
  • AEye’s Apollo lidar was selected for Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus lunar vehicle.Electronics Weekly
  • Retired Space Force Lt. Gen. John Shaw joined Lunar Outpost’s board.SpaceNews

111 signals name Lunar Outpost.

Facts, with sources

  • Rovers to be delivered via Blue Moon Mark 1 landers for lunar surface operationsSpaceNews
  • NVIDIA Space-1 Vera Rubin module planned for Lunar Voyages 3 and 5 before the end of the decadePayload
  • AEye Apollo lidar selected for Lunar Outpost's Pegasus lunar vehicleElectronics Weekly

122 facts on file.

More comparisons

Questions this page answers

Intuitive Machines or Lunar Outpost: which is ahead in space?

Intuitive Machines ranks 15 on the Space 100 with a score of 82; Lunar Outpost ranks 53 with 73. Intuitive Machines is ahead on production, commercials, technology, positioning and firepower. Lunar Outpost is ahead on leverage. Level on deployment and progress. Intuitive Machines is based in Houston, United States, Lunar Outpost in Golden, United States. Intuitive Machines: Public, founded 2013. Intuitive Machines is named in 38 signals and Lunar Outpost in 111.

How do Intuitive Machines and Lunar Outpost compare?

Intuitive Machines ranks 15 on the Space 100 with a score of 82; Lunar Outpost ranks 53 with 73. Intuitive Machines is ahead on production, commercials, technology, positioning and firepower. Lunar Outpost is ahead on leverage. Level on deployment and progress. Intuitive Machines is based in Houston, United States, Lunar Outpost in Golden, United States. Intuitive Machines: Public, founded 2013. Intuitive Machines is named in 38 signals and Lunar Outpost in 111. Both company files carry the scores on eight measures, the facts with sources and the latest signals.

Every comparison here comes from the same files members use every day.

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