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.

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

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.