A SpaceX IPO Could Open the Door for More Investment Into Smaller Space Companies Like Rocket Lab and Planet Labs

By Thomas Niel – Mar 31, 2026 at 9:15AM ESTKey PointsSpaceX, long privately held, could soon go public via an IPO.Post-IPO, shares in other space stocks could benefit from greater bullish sentiment for the sector.There is also a stock that stands to directly benefit from a SpaceX IPO.In the past decade, everyday investors have had ample opportunity to get in on the ground floor of growth industries like electric vehicles and artificial intelligence (AI). However, so far it's played out differently with space stocks. Sure, there have been a few space exploration companies that have gone public during this time frame, but the largest name in the space, Elon Musk's SpaceX, remains private. As a result, insiders and private investors have benefited from the start-up's rise to a sky-high valuation. Meanwhile, everyday investors have stayed stuck on the sidelines. Still, this could soon change. SpaceX is expected to file for an IPO that would raise up to $75 billion and value the company at $1.75 trillion. Moreover, while there is ample excitement among public investors to get in on a SpaceX IPO, the best move may be to capitalize on a possible indirect effect of a SpaceX IPO: greater attention and appreciation for the existing, smaller publicly traded space stocks. Image source: Getty Images. Why a SpaceX IPO changes the story for AST SpaceMobile, Rocket Lab, and others If SpaceX goes public sometime soon, other names in the space could see a ripple effect, with bullishness for SpaceX spilling over into other space exploration stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Key beneficiaries of this trend may range from telecom satellite stocks like AST SpaceMobile (ASTS +4.20%) to rocket stocks such as launch service provider Rocket Lab (RKLB +4.03%). Most, if not all, of these stocks base their current valuation on future potential. Even so, if sentiment for space stocks becomes even more bullish following a SpaceX IPO, some or all of these additional names could make "to the moon" style moves. An even more direct beneficiary While the public debut of SpaceX could enable investors to discover or rediscover names like AST SpaceMobile and Rocket Lab, it's important to note that there's already one stock that could directly benefit from SpaceX going public. EchoStar (SATS +3.40%), a satellite telecommunications company, is best known for its consumer-facing products like Dish pay-TV service and Boost Mobile wireless phone service. However, Echostar has been transitioning itself into a spectrum holding company, seeking to capitalize on its most important assets. The company has engaged in numerous spectrum sale transactions lately, including a $22.6 billion sale to AT&T and a wireless spectrum sale to SpaceX valued at $17 billion to $20 billion. ExpandNASDAQ: SATSEchoStarToday's Change(3.40%) $3.81Current Price$116.04Key Data PointsMarket Cap$32BDay's Range$113.52 - $117.7052wk Range$14.90 - $132.25Volume275KAvg Vol6.3MGross Margin15.71% What's most interesting about the SpaceX deal is that it entailed EchoStar receiving a 2% equity stake in the hot start-up. Valued at around $11 billion today, implying a $550 billion valuation for SpaceX, at first it may be questionable whether this position can increase in value post-IPO. With Echostar shares rising over 52% in the past six months, the stock's valuation may already reflect the value of this position, and then some. That said, this underscores the need and urgency to research these stocks now, ahead of SpaceX going public. Once this major event occurs, price discovery could happen in a flash, creating a small window to capitalize on this opportunity.Read NextMar 29, 2026 •By Billy DubersteinElon Musk's Terafab: What It Is, and the 2 Stocks That Give You Exposure Right NowMar 25, 2026 •By Billy DubersteinWhy EchoStar Rallied TodayMar 22, 2026 •By Brett SchaferBeat the Wall Street Rush: How Everyday Investors Can Buy SpaceX Stock Right NowMar 16, 2026 •By Billy DubersteinThis Stock Is a Way to Own SpaceX Shares Before Its IPO.

But Investors Should Heed These 5 Big Risks.Mar 2, 2026 •By Motley Fool TranscribingEchoStar (SATS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call TranscriptMar 31, 2026 •By Rich SmithWhy Virgin Galactic Stock Rocketed TodayAbout the AuthorThomas Niel is a contributing Analyst at The Motley Fool, covering publicly traded companies in the consumer goods and technology sectors. Prior to the Motley Fool, Thomas was a contributing Analyst for several online investing publications, including InvestorPlace, Seeking Alpha, and TipRanks. He also has past career experience in the accounting and government contracting industries. He holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from Marymount University. Thomas won his school's geography bee in the fifth grade, but retired from the professional geography bee circuit shortly thereafter.TMFThomasNielStocks MentionedEchoStarNASDAQ: SATS$116.04(+3.40%)+$3.81AT&TNYSE: T$28.66(-0.43%)-$0.13AST SpaceMobileNASDAQ: ASTS$76.60(+3.77%)+$2.78Rocket LabNASDAQ: RKLB$59.24(+3.24%)+$1.86*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.