The award of a NASA contract worth up to $4.82 billion has cemented Intuitive Machines Inc.’s position as a key partner in the space agency’s ambitious plans for lunar exploration, according to analyst firm Benchmark.

To establish a permanent base on the Moon and explore its surface, NASA needs a 21st century communications infrastructure. It chose a small Houston, Texas-based commercial space company to do the job.

The space technology provider announced a contract with NASA that could award some $4.8 billion in work over 10 years.

Intuitive Machines, Inc. (NASDAQ: LUNR) is a space exploration company at the forefront of lunar exploration. Intuitive Machines’ stock price is soaring to new heights following the recent award of a NASA contract for communication and navigation services for missions in the near-space region.