Sector

Space Travel & Economy

Launch vehicles, satellite constellations, defence applications, and the commercial space economy.

🚀 The global space economy hits $1 trillion by 2040 (Goldman Sachs). Reusable rockets cut launch costs 100×. The economics now work.

Why This Sector Matters

SpaceX proved the economics: reusable rockets dropped launch costs from $54,000/kg to under $2,000/kg. That inflection point opened the floodgates. Satellite broadband, Earth observation, space manufacturing, and ultimately human expansion off-planet are now investable markets with listed equities. Defence spending provides the reliable base load; commercial applications provide the upside optionality.

Key Sub-Themes

Launch Vehicles — Rocket Lab (RKLB) is the leading small-launch provider and is building Neutron for medium-lift. Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Leidos (LDO) serve government launch contracts. SpaceX remains private but Starship’s success raises the floor for the entire industry.

Satellite Constellations — LEO broadband (Starlink, AST SpaceMobile), Earth observation (Satellogic, Spire, BlackSky), geospatial intelligence (Maxar/Worldview, BKSY). AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) is connecting existing mobile phones directly from space.

Space Defence — L3Harris, Northrop (NOC), KTOS, and Kratos Defence are building space domain awareness, satellite hardening, and anti-satellite defence. NRO and USSF budgets are expanding.

In-Space Economy — Redwire (RDW) manufactures in-orbit: solar panels, antennas, eventually pharmaceutical crystals and semiconductors in microgravity. The ISS successor era creates new industrial opportunities.

Lunar Economy — Intuitive Machines (LUNR) won the first commercial NASA lunar landing contract. The Moon becomes a waypoint for Mars and a rare-earth mining target.

Listed Stocks

Ticker Company Focus Stage
RKLB Rocket Lab Small launch + space systems Revenue, growing
ASTS AST SpaceMobile Direct-to-phone satellite Commercial launch
LUNR Intuitive Machines Lunar landers + services Revenue
NOC Northrop Grumman Defence + space systems Profitable
KTOS Kratos Defence Space domain, drones Growing
BKSY BlackSky Technology Earth observation Revenue
RDW Redwire In-space manufacturing Growing
SATL Satellogic Earth observation Revenue
SPIR Spire Global Data from satellites Revenue
GSAT Globalstar Satellite services Revenue

Filter Space stocks →

Civilization Dependency Chain

Rocket Technology → Reusability → Cost Collapse → Mass Deployment
→ Satellite Internet (Global) → Earth Observation at Scale
→ Lunar Waystation → Mars Transit → Off-Planet Industry
→ Space-Based Solar Power → Asteroid Mining → Post-Scarcity Materials

Every step down this chain requires the previous. Reusability was the unlock. Starship is the next unlock. The Moon by 2030, Mars by 2040, space manufacturing by 2035.

  • Now–2028: Artemis lunar returns, LEO broadband mass-market, satellite swarm proliferation
  • 2028–2030: Crewed lunar base, space tourism scale, first in-orbit manufacturing
  • 2030+: Mars transit architecture, space-based solar, asteroid prospecting

Deep Dive Articles — Coming Soon

Launch economics breakdown, satellite constellation comparisons, and the lunar economy investment case.