MegaTrend Watch: A New Space Power Grab

BY ANDY SWAN, FOUNDER, LIKEFOLIO

The first space race spawned the modern world as we know it.

Without it, there would be no iPhone.

It sounds hyperbolic… until you look at the facts.

When the U.S. government poured today’s equivalent of about $260 billion into the Apollo program, it didn’t just send astronauts to the moon to plant flags.

It jump‑started entire industries.

The tiny chips that powered the digital Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) eventually became the building blocks of personal computers and smartphones.

The Apollo Guidance Computer (Source: news.mit.edu)

The AGC’s electronic interface jumpstarted the world’s first fly‑by‑wire system for a fighter jet – a precursor to the modern avionics and autopilot systems we use today.

In fact, those early days of space exploration sparked many everyday conveniences we take for granted:

Flame‑resistant clothing developed after the Apollo 1 fire…
Lightweight “space blankets” invented to reduce heat loss…
Scratch‑resistant lens coatings descended from abrasion‑resistant coatings on Apollo spacecraft…
Memory foam created to cushion astronauts, later revolutionizing mattresses and seating…
Even feather-light athletic sneakers were originally pitched by NASA astronauts.

In short, the Cold War‑era space race catalyzed the semiconductor revolution and spawned ubiquitous technologies that power our lives.

It birthed the microchip industry (among others) and ultimately led to the iPhone in your pocket.

Now, the floodgates have opened for a 21^st Century Space Race. And it could spawn new category-defining winners we can’t even imagine yet.

The Trump administration is going all in, reversing previous cuts and committing $10 billion for NASA programs through 2032.

Because this time it isn’t (only) about beating an adversary to the moon. It’s a battle to control the invisible infrastructure layer that powers global defense, communications and commerce.

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This isn’t some far-off reality. The space economy reached ~$630 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035, according to projections from McKinsey & Company.

At that rate, the space sector will boost global GDP growth and become one of the fastest-growing industries on Earth.

This is the next frontier of profit opportunities for investors.

And we’re here to help you identify the untapped space segments where tomorrow’s tech giants may emerge.

Our data engine gives us an “X-ray” view into consumer trends related to hundreds of publicly traded companies. We see where momentum is building behind the scenes – tracking not just social media buzz, but web traffic trends, app usage, online searches, and AI queries.

This allows us to spot the under-the-radar space winners before Wall Street piles in and sends their stock prices soaring.

We’ve already identified four key areas of the 21^st Century Space Race where tomorrow’s leaders may emerge:

Launch and Space Transportation: The companies providing the “railroads” of space could control critical infrastructure, just like semiconductor foundries today.
Lunar Infrastructure: The early movers building a moon economy could become the logistics providers of the next frontier.
Next-Generation Satellite Communications: Today’s space-based communications specialists setting themselves up for recurring revenue streams akin to today’s cloud-computing giants.
Earth Observation, AI and Data: The tiny players developing critical hardware could power the next AI chip boom.

Let me show you those segments today and hand you a stock to watch in each.

I’ll even show you how to check the ranking of each stock based on one of the most powerful stock grading tools on the market today…

No. 1: Launch and Space Transportation – The “Railroads” of Space

The world attempted 259 orbital launches last year. That translates to one launch every 34 hours.

SpaceX alone flew 134 Falcon missions in 2024 (accounting for nearly half of those 259 global launches) and added 2,000 Starlink satellites to its constellation.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on June 23, 2024, which added 20 Starlink satellites to orbit
(Source: SpaceX)

That’s because the cost of launching to space has fallen dramatically, thanks to the very reusable rockets Elon Musk’s SpaceX pioneered.

In the 1990s, the average cost to launch a rocket to low Earth orbit (LEO) was $10,000-20,000. Today, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 makes the same trip for just $2,000-3,000 per kilogram.

Cost to launch one kilogram of payload mass to LEO (Source: Our World in Data)

The cost curve has broken. With small, standardized satellites and reusable rockets, space is now a product, not a heroic one-off.

All satellites, cargo and crew must ride a rocket. SpaceX remains privately held, but public-market investors can access pure-play launch providers that are building moats through reliability and high cadence.

Launch is capital-intensive, but companies with a track record of reliability and long-term contracts can build deep moats. As more satellites are launched, the “railroad” providers of space will control critical infrastructure, just like semiconductor foundries today.

One to Watch: Rocket Lab (RKLB)

With SpaceX private, Rocket Lab is the closest publicly traded proxy for frequent launches.

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket has completed 70 successful launches, making it the second-most active launch provider after SpaceX.

Rocket Lab carved a niche in small satellite missions. The company is vertically integrating – meaning it’s attempting to control multiple stages of its own supply chain – by acquiring component manufacturers and building its own Photon satellite buses.

Rocket Lab’s Planned Neutron Rocket (Source: Rocket Labs)

Its upcoming Neutron rocket (shown above) – which the company believes will be ready for launch in 2025 – will be partially reusable and able to lift 13 tons to orbit, positioning Rocket Lab to compete for national security launches.

No. 2: Lunar Infrastructure – Building a Moon Economy

With space now viewed as critical infrastructure, governments are pouring billions of dollars into technology that will give their country an edge in this “next frontier.”

China is working to build its own "megaconstellation" through its Qianfan and Guowang initiatives. The Qianfan system alone targets 15,000 satellites by 2030.

To maintain leadership, the Trump administration is emphasizing space for defense, national security, and exploration.

The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," signed into law on July 4, 2025, injects nearly $10 billion into NASA’s programs through 2032.

This funding reverses previous cuts, supports the Artemis program (missions to return astronauts to the Moon and establish bases), sustains the International Space Station (an orbiting research lab), and covers other initiatives like relocating a retired space shuttle.

With NASA’s Artemis program reignited and China’s lunar ambitions, cargo and communications will soon be required on the Moon. Early movers may become the logistics providers of the next frontier.

These companies will own the right-of-way and stations for lunar commerce, akin to the early telegraph providers. If a thriving lunar economy emerges – mining helium-3, producing oxygen and water, manufacturing fuel – early infrastructure players could become tomorrow’s blue-chip titans.

One to Watch: Intuitive Machines (LUNR)

When Intuitive Machines landed its Nova-C lander on the Moon in February 2024, it was the first American spacecraft to make a soft landing in over 50 years.

Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C Lander on the Moon (Source: Intuitive Machines)

Through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), Intuitive has over $250 million in backlog delivering scientific instruments to the lunar surface. In addition, it recently won a $4.8 billion contract to provide communication and navigation services for NASA missions.

The company’s vision is to become a “lunar FedEx,” building infrastructure for future resource extraction and communications.

No. 3: Next-Generation Satellite Communications – Space-Based Connectivity for Everyone

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has turned satellite internet into a cash machine.

Starlink’s satellite-based internet connectivity provides fast, reliable internet access to remote locations where traditional providers can’t reach and underserved populations where internet access was once impossible.

By August of this year, Starlink served more than 7 million customers across ~150 countries.

Source: X (via SpaceX)

Starlink’s success proves how space investment and technologies can create consumer-scale businesses that not only generate billions in revenue, but also create services you use in your backyard.

Space-based broadband is already generating billions in revenue and brings consumer-scale network effects to the space industry. Because the service is subscription-based, once the network is deployed, each additional user has high gross margin.

Companies that dominate LEO communications could enjoy recurring revenue streams akin to mobile carriers or cloud-computing giants.

One to Watch: AST SpaceMobile (ASTS)

AST SpaceMobile is building enormous satellites that communicate directly with unmodified smartphones. The company’s BlueWalker 3 test satellite proved the concept, making the first voice and video calls from space in 2023 and demonstrating 5G connectivity.

AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 (Source: AST SpaceMobile)

Instead of launching thousands of small satellites, AST plans to deploy fewer, more powerful satellites, partnering with carriers like AT&T (T) and Vodafone (VOD).

If successful, the reward could be billions of mobile users paying subscription fees. The risk lies in capital costs and regulatory approvals.

No. 4: Earth Observation, AI, and Data – The Next Chip Boom?

Satellites are essentially flying sensors that generate petabytes of imagery and data. AI and edge-computing chips process this data into actionable insights for agriculture, insurance, urban planning, and climate monitoring.

While launch and communications are the obvious ways to play the 21^st Century Space Race, the implications for the semiconductor and AI industries cannot be ignored.

Every satellite houses processors and radio chips, and every ground station runs servers and GPUs to ingest and analyze data. Just like companies here on Earth like Snowflake (SNOW) do for banks, advertisers, retailers, science and technology firms.

Software companies offering analytics and machine learning tools for satellite imagery could become the “Snowflake of space.”

Similarly, companies designing radiation-hardened AI chips, phased-array antennas, solar power systems, and laser communication terminals could be the “Nvidia of space.”

One to Watch: Redwire (RDW)

Redwire doesn’t get the headlines that rockets and landers do, but it may be one of the smartest long-term bets in the entire sector.

The company designs and manufactures the hardware needed for in-space assembly, power generation, and manufacturing – everything from robotic arms to 3D-printed materials for orbital habitats. Its footprint extends across both government and commercial projects, including components for NASA’s Lunar Gateway and private space stations.

Specifically, Redwire provides the largest Roll-Out Solar Arrays (ROSAs) for Gateway’s Power & Propulsion Element (PPE), with delivery scheduled after successful deployment testing.

Redwire Builds ROSA Wings for Thales Alenia Space’s Inspire Satellites
(Source: Redwire)

Redwire Space NV also delivers the IBDM (International Berthing and Docking Mechanism) system for the European Space Agency’s Lunar I-Hab.

In August 2025, the company received a $25 million NASA IDIQ (indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity) contract to support biotech and on-orbit operations on the International Space Station (ISS).

The next phase of the space race won’t be about getting to orbit. It’ll be about building in orbit. Redwire is the contractor already positioned to supply that infrastructure.

As human presence in space becomes continuous, Redwire could evolve into the “Lockheed Martin of in-space manufacturing,” capturing steady, long-cycle revenue streams from the backbone of orbital industry.

Bottom Line: This Is Where the Next NVDA or AAPL Could Emerge

The last space race gave birth to semiconductors.

The current one could yield global data networks, orbital AI platforms, and Moon-based logistics.

Space-related stocks have taken off this year – and this month, for that matter.

Source: X

Some analysts are calling for a top, citing valuation bubbles and calling for caution.

We disagree. The Space “MegaTrend” has legs – and years of growth ahead of it.

Which means investors who position early in the right infrastructure names could capture generational upside.

We’ll be putting our Ultimate Stock Strategy to work to identify the biggest winners for our subscribers:

Using our Social Heat Score to spot which stocks are gaining momentum with consumers before Wall Street catches on…

And vetting each one through Louis Navellier’s proven Stock Grader system to see which companies rank highest on fundamental factors like earnings, sales, and growth.

The Social Heat Score has already delivered 25 double-your-money (or more) opportunities to our subscribers over the last five years. Louis’ Stock Grader system has flagged 676 stocks that have more than doubled over the last four and a half decades.

When we put these two systems together, our five-year backtest showed they would’ve spotted more than 240 doubles for an average gain of 244%.

Tomorrow, Oct. 28, at 10:00 a.m., Landon, Louis, and I unveil this Ultimate Stock Strategy for the first time ever and would love to see all our TradeSmith Daily readers join us for the premiere.

Your invitation is waiting: RSVP here.

Click that link to reserve your seat for tomorrow’s Ultimate Stock Strategy launch and take Louis’ Stock Grader for a test run. You can even search for the stocks featured today and see how they rank.

MegaTrend Watch: A New Space Power Grab