Before humanity can build industries, habitats, and power grids on the Moon, it must first solve a more fundamental challenge: reliable transportation. It has to get there.

Before power stations, habitats, manufacturing facilities, and communications networks can operate on the Moon, they must arrive safely. Every successful landing expands the foundation for everything that follows.

Why Methane and Liquid Oxygen?

Intuitive Machines selected liquid methane and liquid oxygen because the combination supports both today’s lunar missions and tomorrow’s exploration goals. Benefits include:

Higher density than liquid hydrogen: Smaller tanks can store the same amount of propellant, reducing vehicle volume.

Warmer cryogenic temperatures: Easier long-term storage and handling than liquid hydrogen.

Reduced boil-off: Less propellant loss during extended missions and surface operations.

Cleaner combustion: Produces fewer engine deposits, improving reliability and supporting reuse.

Built for the future: Methane can potentially be produced on Mars from carbon dioxide and water using the Sabatier process, supporting future in-situ resource utilization.

For Intuitive Machines, propulsion is about far more than moving a spacecraft from one destination to another. Reliable engines enable precision landings, repeatable cargo deliveries, and the confidence to transport increasingly valuable infrastructure to the lunar surface. Every successful mission delivers more than scientific payloads. It strengthens the logistics network that future habitats, communications systems, power stations, and industrial facilities will depend upon.

The path to a permanent lunar economy begins long before the first utility is switched on.

It begins with dependable transportation.

Together, these advantages make methane and liquid oxygen well suited for the reliable, repeatable transportation systems needed to build the first generation of lunar infrastructure.

Getting there is the first step. Staying there is the next.