Intuitive Machines Closes Goonhilly and COMSAT Deals, Adding Ground Stations Ahead of IM-3 and Altus-1

Intuitive Machines has completed its acquisition of Goonhilly Earth Station Limited and COMSAT LLC, two deep space communications providers with ground station assets in the United Kingdom and the United States. The move expands the Houston company's space infrastructure network as it prepares for its upcoming IM-3 and Altus-1 lunar missions.

The Company had previously integrated Goonhilly's ground station capabilities into its IM-1 and IM-2 missions. It now intends to leverage the expanded network and the Goonhilly ground system for IM-3 and Altus-1. IM-3, part of NASA's CLPS initiative, returns Intuitive Machines to the Moon for the third time, while Altus-1, executed under the Company's Near Space Network Services contract with NASA, launches its first lunar data relay satellite.

Intuitive Machines, which trades on Nasdaq as LUNR, said the acquisition strengthens its infrastructure service by increasing visibility across major Earth viewing arcs, enhancing contact opportunities for lunar and deep space missions, and expanding capacity for communications, data transport, and position, navigation, and timing services. The Company said Goonhilly's and COMSAT's civil, commercial, and government customer bases complement its existing customer base and broaden its reach into adjacent industries.

Goonhilly provides tracking, telecommand, and telemetry services along with commercial deep space communications antenna capabilities. The Company describes it as the world's most advanced commercial lunar and deep space communications provider, delivering Earth-to-space connectivity for spacecraft operating beyond geostationary orbit. Goonhilly also provides sovereign radio frequency Space Domain Awareness data, assured satcom services, and bespoke antenna development to national security customers. COMSAT operates secure international teleports and a portfolio of over 90 hosted and leased antennas across US and UK-based ground stations, and has supported satellite operators, service integrators, downstream data users, and government customers for more than five decades.

"Intuitive Machines provides the infrastructure services customers need for their missions in Earth orbit, on the Moon, and across deep space. Integrating Goonhilly and COMSAT expands our space infrastructure with proven ground assets and connected deep space capabilities," said Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines. "By increasing capacity for communications, data transport, and PNT services, we're enabling customers to execute more complex operations with greater confidence and at a faster cadence for Moon Base and for commercial, civil, and international lunar activities."

The Company said the acquisition supports its integrated Build, Connect, Operate service model, which is designed to let customers achieve mission and campaign outcomes through a single prime solution. Intuitive Machines has built more than 300 spacecraft, delivered over 260 kilograms of payload to the lunar surface, and provided precision navigation for spacecraft across the solar system.

The next milestones named are the IM-3 and Altus-1 missions, which the Company intends to support using its expanded space data network and the Goonhilly ground system.