Nova-C Lunar Lander Passes Complete Spacecraft Test Run

HOUSTON, July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) (“Intuitive Machines”) or the (“Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, has successfully conducted a complete spacecraft test run of its Nova-C lunar lander – a significant technical achievement in the Company’s efforts to completing its lunar lander. The complete spacecraft test run verified Nova-C’s flight software, flight avionics, liquid oxygen and liquid Methane loading, high-pressure helium system performance, propulsion system complete functionality, and culminating in a hot fire of the Nova-C main engine.

“This was the most comprehensive test to date short of flying the lander in space,” said Steve Altemus, Intuitive Machines Co-founder, President, and CEO. “This test run represents a crucial step forward in validating the performance of the entire Nova-C lunar lander system on its way to the Moon. The technical excellence the Intuitive Machines team showed during this comprehensive test has propelled the Company closer to delivering Nova-C to Florida for launch.”

The complete spacecraft test run conducted at Intuitive Machines’ Small Vehicle Engine Verification Facility at the Houston Spaceport is a culmination of a series of tests completed during Nova-C’s production.

Comprehensive testing of the full lander with all its systems powered on and operating is an essential step in the process of verifying all systems are performing as expected. The Nova-C spacecraft systems have been undergoing significant integrated functional testing and checkout in preparation for this fully integrated performance test.

About Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines is a diversified space company focused on space exploration. Intuitive Machines supplies space products and services to support sustained robotic and human exploration to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Intuitive Machines’ products and services are offered through its four business units: Lunar Access Services, Orbital Services, Lunar Data Services, and Space Products and Infrastructure. For more information, please visit intuitivemachines.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release include but are not limited to: statements regarding our first mission to the Moon, including the expected timing thereof. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s predictions, projections, or expectations based upon currently available information and data. Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The following important factors and uncertainties, among others, could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements in this press release: our reliance upon the efforts of our Board and key personnel to be successful; our limited operating history; our failure to manage our growth effectively; competition from existing or new companies; unsatisfactory safety performance of our spaceflight systems or security incidents at our facilities; failure of the market for commercial spaceflight to achieve the growth potential we expect; any delayed launches, launch failures, failure of our satellites or lunar landers to reach their planned orbital locations, significant increases in the costs related to launches of satellites and lunar landers, and insufficient capacity available from satellite and lunar lander launch providers; our customer concentration; risks associated with commercial spaceflight, including any accident on launch or during the journey into space; risks associated with the handling, production and disposition of potentially explosive and ignitable energetic materials and other dangerous chemicals in our operations; our reliance on a limited number of suppliers for certain materials and supplied components; failure of our products to operate in the expected manner or defects in our products; ; and other factors detailed under the section titled Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the section titled Part I, Item 2, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the section titled Part II. Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, and in our subsequent filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at and the Investors section of our website at 

These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release and current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks, and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

Contacts

For investor inquiries:

For media inquiries:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at