The award builds on Intuitive Machines' earlier $9.5 million progress under a previous AFRL program, an initiative led by AFRL to develop compact nuclear power systems for space applications. That effort included the design of a Stirling-based power conversion system, which transforms heat from a radioisotope source into electricity. That phase culminated in a successful Preliminary Design Review by Intuitive Machines in September. With this new funding, the Company will begin preparing the system for flight, marking a critical step toward demonstrating space-based nuclear power in orbit.
Solar is the most pervasively used energy source to power today's space missions. However, current approaches limit mission duration in harsh environments like the two-week-long lunar night where temperatures fall below, 200 Fahrenheit. These conditions prevent systems from operating without supplemental power systems like radioisotope thermoelectric generators or battery banks that add bulk, weight, and complexity to the mission footprint. Intuitive Machines believes demand is growing for reliable, scalable energy systems like Stirling engines, which offer continuous power and heat in a much smaller package to support spacecraft and planetary surface missions. Intuitive Machines is meeting that demand by building reliable, scalable energy systems that may power spacecraft and planetary surface missions beyond solar powered limitations.
"This award moves us from design to flight hardware, which is a critical step toward proving that compact nuclear power systems can survive and perform in space," said Tim Crain Ph.D., co-founder and chief growth officer for Intuitive Machines. "Because Intuitive Machines is vertically integrated across space data, infrastructure, and delivery services, we can rapidly innovate across ...
