Intuitive Machines shares soared more than 50% early Wednesday after the company announced Tuesday it had been awarded a $4.82 billion navigation and communication services contract from NASA for "missions in the near space region, which extends from Earth's surface to beyond the Moon." The company said Tuesday that under the contract, which has a base period of five years and an option for an additional five years, Intuitive Machines will deploy lunar relay satellites and provide communication and navigation services to aid NASA's Artemis campaign and to "establish a long-term presence on the Moon." "This contract marks an inflection point in Intuitive Machines' leadership in space communications and navigation," Chief Executive Steve Altemus said in the press release.