top of page
Search

Texas Space Commission Selects Intuitive Machines to Advance Earth Reentry and Microgravity Biomanufacturing Spacecraft

  • Writer: Hunter Christian
    Hunter Christian
  • 24 minutes ago
  • 2 min read

The Texas Space Commission has selected Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR) (“Intuitive Machines”) (“Company”), a leading space technology, infrastructure, and services company, for a grant up to $10 million from the Space Exploration and Research Fund (“SEARF”). This funding supports the development of an Earth reentry vehicle and orbital fabrication lab designed to enable microgravity biomanufacturing and is intended to serve as a critical risk-reduction platform for the Company’s future lunar sample return missions.  


“Returning samples from space is one of the most complex challenges in exploration,” said Intuitive Machines Chief Growth Officer Tim Crain, Ph.D. “We are grateful to the State of Texas for fostering an environment where companies like Intuitive Machines may develop transformative space technologies. We hope that the Texas Space Commission’s investment in this capability helps create high-tech jobs, expand Texas’ leadership in space commercialization, and lay the foundation for new industries in the Lone Star State.” 

Render of Intuitive Machines’ Earth reentry vehicle designed to securely return payloads to Earth’s surface as part of the company’s long-term lunar commercialization strategy. Image credit: Intuitive Machines.
Render of Intuitive Machines’ Earth reentry vehicle designed to securely return payloads to Earth’s surface as part of the company’s long-term lunar commercialization strategy. Image credit: Intuitive Machines.

In 2022, Intuitive Machines began initial development of the preliminary design for an Earth reentry vehicle capable of supporting missions returning from low Earth orbit, the Moon, or Mars. As Intuitive Machines refined this technology, it partnered with Rhodium Scientific, for commercial microgravity biomanufacturing in space, where certain materials, processes, and pharmaceuticals can be more efficiently produced or exhibit unique properties not possible on Earth.  


“Rhodium Scientific is a leader in biomanufacturing in space,” said Rhodium Scientific Founder and CEO Olivia Gámez Holzhaus. “Our work as performers perfecting our processes for in-space biomanufacturing with DTRA and DARPA has enabled us to establish all hardware and protocols necessary for a pipeline to develop and scale biomanufacturing in space.” 

Caption: Rhodium’s Variable Gravity Centrifuge, an industry-leading International Space Station flight facility capable of producing Lunar, Martian and Earth gravity equivalent forces having tested over 600 biological samples within one year. Image Credit: Rhodium Scientific. 
Caption: Rhodium’s Variable Gravity Centrifuge, an industry-leading International Space Station flight facility capable of producing Lunar, Martian and Earth gravity equivalent forces having tested over 600 biological samples within one year. Image Credit: Rhodium Scientific. 

Together, Intuitive Machines and Rhodium Scientific are developing and managing technical approaches to payload integration for both lunar and low Earth orbit missions, including safe reentry through Earth’s atmosphere. The 12-month SEARF phase one effort will assist in advancing the collaboration with Rhodium Scientific and will support spacecraft development through Critical Design Review and the creation of a full-scale ground prototype for customer development. The Company believes this foundational phase and its partnership with Rhodium Scientific will pave the way for future grants and large-scale projects to bring the reentry system closer to flight readiness.


 
 
bottom of page