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.

NASA's "Hidden Figures," whose work helped put men on the moon, are set to be honored Wednesday in a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony.

Hosted by the Speaker, the ceremony brought together other representatives and senators, NASA officials and the families of Johnson, Jackson, Vaughan and Darden in Emancipation Hall at the Capitol in Washington. (Darden watched live from her home in Connecticut.)

NASA is weeks away from sending its Clipper orbiter on a journey to the Jupiter moon Europa, which scientists believe could harbor conditions for life.

SpaceX is watching the weather ahead of Tuesday's Falcon 9 launch of the European Commission's Galileo L13 mission, which will carry its navigation satellite constellation to medium Earth orbit.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket will launch from the Kennedy Space Center with the largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for a planetary mission. The NASA Europa Clipper spacecraft plans to study Jupiter’s icy moon Europa for signs of life.