Space stocks blasted back into the spotlight this week as retail investors turned up the heat in the sector. Here’s a look at what has been going on in the commercial space industry.
Rocket Lab – RKLB
Rocket Lab Corp. (NASDAQ:RKLB) “Raise and Shine” mission, the 19th Electron launch of the year, is scheduled for a launch window opening Dec. 5 from Launch Complex 1. The mission is the first of two dedicated launches for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
The company also recently celebrated a major milestone with two of its NASA-backed spacecraft successfully beginning their journey toward Mars.
Rocket Lab stock was up 8.47% on Thursday, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
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AST SpaceMobile – ASTS
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) shares flew on heavy trading volume Thursday as the stock trended across financial social media.
Last week, the company announced it will expand its operations with two new manufacturing sites in Texas and Florida.
“As we accelerate production of our next-generation BlueBird satellites, the expansion allows us to increase capacity, strengthen our supply chain, and bring even more high-technology manufacturing work back to the United States,” said Abel Avellan, CEO of AST SpaceMobile.
AST’s BlueBird 6 satellite is set to launch on Dec. 15 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India.
ASTS stock was up nearly 17% on Thursday, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Virgin Galactic – SPCE
Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:SPCE) shares were up on the momentum in the sector, despite a lack of company-specific news.
SPCE stock has gained more than 20% over the past five days.
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Firefly Aerospace – FLY
Firefly Aerospace, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLY) was also moving higher with the sector on Thursday.
Two analysts recently updated coverage on the stock:
- JPMorgan analyst Seth Seifman maintained Firefly Aerospace with an Overweight, but lowered the price target from $55 to $28.
- Goldman Sachs analyst Anthony Valentini reinstated coverage on Firefly with a Neutral rating and $29 price target.
Intuitive Machines – LUNR
Intuitive Machines, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR) shares were up 10% on Thursday and up by more than 22% over the past five days as the space sector reawakened.
Plug Power – PLUG
On Monday, hydrogen energy company Plug Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG) entered the space industry when it began supplying NASA with up to 218,000 kilograms (480,000 pounds) of liquid hydrogen to support NASA operations at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio.
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