My Top Three Stocks Fueling the Space Age 🚀

I’ve always been fascinated by space…

I grew up on Dune, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and (pre-Disney) Star Wars.

The prospect of humanity exploring the stars, deploying satellites, and potentially colonizing other planets still feels like the stuff of science fiction.

But it’s real, and it’s happening now. That’s why I love space stocks.

By now, everyone is familiar with Musk’s Space X and Bezos’ Blue Origin. But aside from the fact that those aren’t publicly traded, I’m more interested in stocks that… ahem… “fly” under the radar.

Here are my three favorite space stocks:

• Rocket Lab (RKLB)

Founded in 2006 and based in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab builds “small” rockets — approximately 60 feet tall — called Electron that launch satellites into orbit.

The company has completed 64 launches to date, successfully deploying 225 satellites. Its rockets are some of the most frequently launched U.S. rockets, second only to Space X.

RKLB has launched multiple missions for NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The company’s Q1 revenue was $122.5 million — up 32% year-over-year — and it has a backlog over $1 billion.

But of most interest to us, its stock price has rocketed — forgive me — more than 550% over the past year, bringing its market cap to $12.6 billion. I think it’s just getting started.

• Satellogic (SATL)

Next, there’s Satellogic, which builds and operates satellites that take high-quality photos of our planet (similar to Google Earth if you’ve ever tried that).

These images help farmers monitor crops, governments track climate changes, and businesses plan projects. 

The company’s Aleph-1 constellation is capable of capturing sub-meter resolution imagery with up to four daily “revisits” of any point on Earth. That allows for near-real-time monitoring, which is critical for things like disaster response.

It offers a model it calls “Constellation-as-a-Service.” governments and large organizations can access tailored Earth observation without the need to have their own satellites.

Its stock took off in mid-November — I can’t help myself — and is up about 260% since then, bringing it to a near $400 million market cap. I really like its chart pattern right now and would especially watch if it again breaks north of the $4.20 level.

• AST SpaceMobile (ASTS)

The third company I’ll mention is trying to do something wild: build a satellite network that lets you connect your standard, unmodified phone to the internet from anywhere on Earth.

AST SpaceMobile launched its first five commercial satellites in September 2024 and plans to have 60 in orbit by 2026. 

The company has major partnerships with the likes of AT&T and Verizon to integrate its satellite connectivity into existing mobile networks.

As the “Satellite Solutions” page on AT&T’s website explains, “We’re working with AST SpaceMobile to one day offer a full suite of connectivity: voice, data, text, and video services in remote, off-grid locations. Our customers will have access to a satellite-based cellular network with a standard smartphone – no special device is needed.”

From its low in April 2024, ASTS has soared more than 1,000%, reaching the fabled ten bagger status, and it’s definitely one to watch as its satellite program develops.

Final Thoughts

Why do I love these three stocks? 

For one, they’re all publicly traded, unlike the headline space stocks you always hear about.

For two, while none of these companies is yet profitable, a World Economic Forum report from April 2024 projected the space economy will reach $1.8 trillion by 2035. That’s a lot of opportunity.

Investing in space stocks feels like betting on the future. I like companies that are trying to push humanity forward, and these three fit the bill.

Of course, be sure to do your own homework if you plan to dive into any of these stocks. Even though some have been around for a while, they’re still in their early stages.

But if you believe in the power of space, RKLB, SATL, and ASTS are tickers worth watching. 

Who knows? They might just take us to the stars. (OK, I promise I’m done now).

To Your Success,

Jeff Bishop