NASA Plans to Rollback Artemis II Launch
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy LUNR?
Source: stocktwits
- Launch Plan Change: NASA announced it will rollback the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II on February 24, which will “assuredly impact” the March launch window, indicating challenges in launch preparations.
- Technical Issues Impact: The interruption in helium flow to the SLS rocket's upper stage has led NASA engineers to troubleshoot, causing delays from the original launch date of February 6, reflecting the complexities of technical readiness.
- Investor Sentiment Fluctuation: Intuitive Machines' stock rose nearly 9% last week, but another delay in Artemis II could test investor appetite, with a 2.4% drop in pre-market trading on Sunday.
- Market Outlook Analysis: Despite an 11% decline in stock price over the past year, Intuitive Machines is still up over 8% in 2023, indicating market interest in its potential role in NASA projects and future growth prospects.
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Analyst Views on LUNR
Wall Street analysts forecast LUNR stock price to fall
10 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 18.190
Low
9.50
Averages
17.74
High
25.00
Current: 18.190
Low
9.50
Averages
17.74
High
25.00
About LUNR
Intuitive Machines, Inc. is a space technology, infrastructure, and services company. It is a provider and supplier of space products and services that enable sustained robotic and human exploration to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Its services include delivery services, data transmission services, and infrastructure as a service. Its delivery services provide transportation and delivery of payloads, such as satellites, scientific instruments and cargo to various destinations in space, in addition to rideshare delivery and lunar surface access. Its data transmission services offerings include the collection, processing, and interpretation of space-based data, utilizing applications, such as command, control, communications, reconnaissance and prospecting. Its infrastructure as a service delivers space assets, performing tasks and making decisions without human intervention that are designed to perform essential functions, such as navigation, scientific data collection, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
NASA Plans to Rollback Artemis II Launch
- Launch Plan Change: NASA announced it will rollback the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II on February 24, which will “assuredly impact” the March launch window, indicating challenges in launch preparations.
- Technical Issues Impact: The interruption in helium flow to the SLS rocket's upper stage has led NASA engineers to troubleshoot, causing delays from the original launch date of February 6, reflecting the complexities of technical readiness.
- Investor Sentiment Fluctuation: Intuitive Machines' stock rose nearly 9% last week, but another delay in Artemis II could test investor appetite, with a 2.4% drop in pre-market trading on Sunday.
- Market Outlook Analysis: Despite an 11% decline in stock price over the past year, Intuitive Machines is still up over 8% in 2023, indicating market interest in its potential role in NASA projects and future growth prospects.
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- Tariff Policy Risk: The Court's 6-3 ruling invalidated broad tariffs, easing cost pressures for importers; however, Trump immediately indicated plans for a new 10% global tariff, leaving markets grappling with ongoing trade policy risks.
- Economic Data Impact: Despite the rally following the tariff ruling, disappointing 1.4% GDP growth and elevated core inflation figures kept investor sentiment cautious, contributing to underperformance in small caps and reflecting a trend of rotation out of risk assets.
- Future Outlook: Investors are preparing for upcoming tech earnings and economic indicators that could shape the Federal Reserve's policy outlook, maintaining a cautious stance as they await new data and corporate results.
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Intuitive Machines CEO Sells 86,803 Shares for $1.39 Million
- Transaction Overview: CEO Stephen J. Altemus sold 86,803 shares of Intuitive Machines on February 13, 2026, for approximately $1.39 million, indicating a smaller transaction size compared to the median of 487,331 shares sold in the current reporting period.
- Ownership Impact: This sale reduced Altemus's direct holdings by 6.87%, leaving him with 1,176,246 shares and a 1.0964% ownership stake, reflecting his ongoing confidence in the company despite the sale.
- Market Performance Analysis: Although Intuitive Machines shares have declined by 18.01% over the past year, the stock has rebounded in 2026, reaching a 52-week high of $23.32 in January, driven by investor optimism surrounding the space sector.
- Customer Contract Growth: The company secured new customer contracts, including an $8.2 million extension from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, despite reporting a net loss of $10 million in Q3, indicating sustained demand in the space services sector.
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Pentagon Invests $68 Million to Accelerate Hypersonic Technologies
- Hypersonic Technology Investment: The Pentagon's Joint Hypersonics Transition Office has awarded $68 million across six vendors to accelerate the development of next-generation technologies capable of exceeding Mach 5, significantly enhancing the U.S. competitive edge in hypersonic weaponry.
- Dark Eagle Deployment: The U.S. Army has begun fielding the Dark Eagle, the nation's first operational ground-launched hypersonic weapon, with delivery expected to complete in early 2026, marking a critical advancement in the U.S. hypersonic weapons program.
- Commercial-Aerospace Defense Intersection: Companies like Starfighters Space are gaining attention at the intersection of commercial aerospace and defense testing, with Starfighters recently completing wind tunnel tests for STARLAUNCH 1, validating its air-launched system design and strengthening its position in the hypersonic market.
- Investment Flow into Industry: Hypersonic testing companies are securing significant institutional investments to expand production capacity and flight cadence, indicating a rapidly growing market demand for hypersonic technologies and driving strategic developments for related firms.
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Pentagon Accelerates Hypersonic Technology Development with $68 Million Investment
- Funding Injection: The Pentagon's Joint Hypersonics Transition Office has awarded $68 million to six vendors to accelerate the development of next-generation technologies capable of exceeding Mach 5, significantly enhancing the U.S. competitive edge in hypersonic weaponry.
- Weapon Deployment: The U.S. Army has begun fielding the Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon, with deliveries expected to complete in early 2026, marking the first operational use of ground-launched hypersonic weapons in the U.S., which could transform future battlefield dynamics.
- Commercial and Defense Synergy: Companies like Starfighters Space are positioned at the intersection of commercial aerospace and defense testing, attracting substantial private capital to enhance production capacity and flight cadence, reflecting strong market demand for rapidly advancing hypersonic technologies.
- Testing Progress: Starfighters Space recently completed wind tunnel testing for STARLAUNCH 1, validating separation behavior at Mach 0.85 and Mach 1.3, with results showing strong alignment with computational fluid dynamics predictions, laying a solid foundation for subsequent flight testing.
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Intuitive Machines Shares Surge 5.29% Amid Geopolitical Tensions
- Stock Price Surge: Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ:LUNR) shares rose 5.29% to $17.50 on Wednesday, driven by rising geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as well as the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, reflecting market optimism about the company's future performance.
- Stalled Ukraine Talks: Peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva ended without progress, with President Zelenskiy accusing Moscow of stalling, which could exacerbate the situation and impact market sentiment related to the conflict.
- Escalating Iran Situation: Iran and Russia are set to conduct joint naval drills in the Gulf region, and Iran has temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz, increasing global oil price uncertainties that may indirectly affect Intuitive Machines' market performance.
- Technical Analysis: Intuitive Machines is currently trading below the 20-day SMA but above the 50-day and 100-day SMAs, indicating bullish momentum in the medium term; however, with the RSI in neutral territory and MACD showing bearish pressure, investors should remain cautious of potential market volatility.
See More
NASA Plans to Rollback Artemis II Launch
- Launch Plan Change: NASA announced it will rollback the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II on February 24, which will “assuredly impact” the March launch window, indicating challenges in launch preparations.
- Technical Issues Impact: The interruption in helium flow to the SLS rocket's upper stage has led NASA engineers to troubleshoot, causing delays from the original launch date of February 6, reflecting the complexities of technical readiness.
- Investor Sentiment Fluctuation: Intuitive Machines' stock rose nearly 9% last week, but another delay in Artemis II could test investor appetite, with a 2.4% drop in pre-market trading on Sunday.
- Market Outlook Analysis: Despite an 11% decline in stock price over the past year, Intuitive Machines is still up over 8% in 2023, indicating market interest in its potential role in NASA projects and future growth prospects.
See More
U.S. Markets Rally After Tariff Ruling
- Market Rally: Major U.S. indexes experienced a rebound after the Supreme Court struck down former President Trump's tariff regime, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq posting modest gains despite soft GDP growth and persistent inflation, indicating market sensitivity to policy uncertainty.
- Tariff Policy Risk: The Court's 6-3 ruling invalidated broad tariffs, easing cost pressures for importers; however, Trump immediately indicated plans for a new 10% global tariff, leaving markets grappling with ongoing trade policy risks.
- Economic Data Impact: Despite the rally following the tariff ruling, disappointing 1.4% GDP growth and elevated core inflation figures kept investor sentiment cautious, contributing to underperformance in small caps and reflecting a trend of rotation out of risk assets.
- Future Outlook: Investors are preparing for upcoming tech earnings and economic indicators that could shape the Federal Reserve's policy outlook, maintaining a cautious stance as they await new data and corporate results.
See More
Intuitive Machines CEO Sells 86,803 Shares for $1.39 Million
- Transaction Overview: CEO Stephen J. Altemus sold 86,803 shares of Intuitive Machines on February 13, 2026, for approximately $1.39 million, indicating a smaller transaction size compared to the median of 487,331 shares sold in the current reporting period.
- Ownership Impact: This sale reduced Altemus's direct holdings by 6.87%, leaving him with 1,176,246 shares and a 1.0964% ownership stake, reflecting his ongoing confidence in the company despite the sale.
- Market Performance Analysis: Although Intuitive Machines shares have declined by 18.01% over the past year, the stock has rebounded in 2026, reaching a 52-week high of $23.32 in January, driven by investor optimism surrounding the space sector.
- Customer Contract Growth: The company secured new customer contracts, including an $8.2 million extension from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, despite reporting a net loss of $10 million in Q3, indicating sustained demand in the space services sector.
See More
Pentagon Invests $68 Million to Accelerate Hypersonic Technologies
- Hypersonic Technology Investment: The Pentagon's Joint Hypersonics Transition Office has awarded $68 million across six vendors to accelerate the development of next-generation technologies capable of exceeding Mach 5, significantly enhancing the U.S. competitive edge in hypersonic weaponry.
- Dark Eagle Deployment: The U.S. Army has begun fielding the Dark Eagle, the nation's first operational ground-launched hypersonic weapon, with delivery expected to complete in early 2026, marking a critical advancement in the U.S. hypersonic weapons program.
- Commercial-Aerospace Defense Intersection: Companies like Starfighters Space are gaining attention at the intersection of commercial aerospace and defense testing, with Starfighters recently completing wind tunnel tests for STARLAUNCH 1, validating its air-launched system design and strengthening its position in the hypersonic market.
- Investment Flow into Industry: Hypersonic testing companies are securing significant institutional investments to expand production capacity and flight cadence, indicating a rapidly growing market demand for hypersonic technologies and driving strategic developments for related firms.
See More
Pentagon Accelerates Hypersonic Technology Development with $68 Million Investment
- Funding Injection: The Pentagon's Joint Hypersonics Transition Office has awarded $68 million to six vendors to accelerate the development of next-generation technologies capable of exceeding Mach 5, significantly enhancing the U.S. competitive edge in hypersonic weaponry.
- Weapon Deployment: The U.S. Army has begun fielding the Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon, with deliveries expected to complete in early 2026, marking the first operational use of ground-launched hypersonic weapons in the U.S., which could transform future battlefield dynamics.
- Commercial and Defense Synergy: Companies like Starfighters Space are positioned at the intersection of commercial aerospace and defense testing, attracting substantial private capital to enhance production capacity and flight cadence, reflecting strong market demand for rapidly advancing hypersonic technologies.
- Testing Progress: Starfighters Space recently completed wind tunnel testing for STARLAUNCH 1, validating separation behavior at Mach 0.85 and Mach 1.3, with results showing strong alignment with computational fluid dynamics predictions, laying a solid foundation for subsequent flight testing.
See More
Intuitive Machines Shares Surge 5.29% Amid Geopolitical Tensions
- Stock Price Surge: Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ:LUNR) shares rose 5.29% to $17.50 on Wednesday, driven by rising geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as well as the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, reflecting market optimism about the company's future performance.
- Stalled Ukraine Talks: Peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva ended without progress, with President Zelenskiy accusing Moscow of stalling, which could exacerbate the situation and impact market sentiment related to the conflict.
- Escalating Iran Situation: Iran and Russia are set to conduct joint naval drills in the Gulf region, and Iran has temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz, increasing global oil price uncertainties that may indirectly affect Intuitive Machines' market performance.
- Technical Analysis: Intuitive Machines is currently trading below the 20-day SMA but above the 50-day and 100-day SMAs, indicating bullish momentum in the medium term; however, with the RSI in neutral territory and MACD showing bearish pressure, investors should remain cautious of potential market volatility.
See More
