TLDR
- Rocket Lab is growing fast with launches, satellites, and a strong analyst rating of 10 Buy, 4 Hold
- Planet Labs runs one of the largest Earth-observation satellite fleets with growing revenue and backlog
- AST SpaceMobile aims to connect smartphones directly to satellites, with 8 Buy ratings from analysts
- All three companies are expanding their contract backlogs and attracting government and commercial customers
- The upcoming SpaceX IPO has renewed investor interest across the entire space sector
The space industry is moving into a new growth phase in 2026, with government spending holding strong and commercial satellite demand rising. Three stocks are drawing attention from investors looking for exposure to launches, satellite data, and next-generation communications.
Rocket Lab: Launches, Satellites, and a Growing Backlog
Rocket Lab has built one of the most diversified businesses in the publicly traded space sector.
The company offers launch services, builds satellites, and supplies space systems to both government and commercial customers.
Recent earnings showed strong revenue growth and an expanding contract backlog. Analysts are also watching the development of the company’s larger Neutron rocket, which could open up bigger missions currently handled by SpaceX.
Wall Street is broadly positive. Rocket Lab carries 10 Buy ratings, 4 Hold, and zero Sell recommendations from analysts.
Many see Rocket Lab as one of the best-positioned companies in launch services and satellite infrastructure heading into the second half of the decade.
Planet Labs: Earth Observation and Space-Based Data
Planet Labs takes a different path. The company does not focus on launches. Instead, it operates one of the world’s largest fleets of Earth-observation satellites.
The data and imagery collected by those satellites is used by governments, defense agencies, agricultural firms, insurance companies, and businesses around the world.
Planet Labs recently reported strong revenue growth and a growing backlog of contracted work. The company also holds a healthy cash position, giving it room to invest in future development.
Analysts rate the stock at 6 Buy, 4 Hold, and zero Sell.
The company is not yet profitable, but investors are beginning to see it as a leading provider of geospatial intelligence rather than just a satellite operator.
As demand for real-time Earth imagery grows, particularly alongside advances in artificial intelligence, Planet Labs could be one of the main beneficiaries.
AST SpaceMobile: High Risk, High Reward Satellite Communications
AST SpaceMobile is the most speculative of the three.
The company’s goal is to connect standard smartphones directly to satellites without any special equipment. If that works at scale, AST could reach billions of mobile users globally and eliminate dead zones in rural and remote areas.
The company has already run successful satellite-to-phone connection tests and has signed partnerships with major telecom companies.
Analysts back the stock with 8 Buy ratings, 2 Hold, and zero Sell.
The risks are real. AST still needs to launch more satellites, scale its network, and prove the business model can generate consistent revenue. Delays or technical problems could cause sharp swings in the stock price.
For investors who accept that risk, AST remains one of the more closely watched speculative plays in the space sector right now.
Where Things Stand in 2026
Rocket Lab, Planet Labs, and AST SpaceMobile each offer a different angle on the space economy.
Of the three, Rocket Lab currently holds the strongest analyst consensus and the most diversified business model.
The SpaceX IPO has brought fresh attention to space stocks broadly, which could benefit all three companies as investor interest in the sector grows.
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