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SpaceX’s (NASDAQ:SPCX) long-awaited IPO was not just another stock-market debut. It was one of the biggest wealth events Wall Street has ever seen.
Shares of Elon Musk’s rocket-and-satellite company surged out of the gate, turning early investors into instant winners and making thousands of current and former employees millionaires on paper.
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For a moment, the message seemed obvious: the future of space had arrived on the public market, and everyone wanted in.
Then gravity showed up.
After its blockbuster debut, SpaceX shares began to tumble, turning one of the hottest IPO stories in years into a painful two-week slide. SpaceX closed at $153.23 on Friday, June 26 — down 32% from its all-time high of $225.64 reached on June 16.
Even after a 7.15% rebound on June 29, the stock remained well below its peak — a sharp reminder that even the most exciting companies can become dangerous when expectations run too hot.
But that is exactly why the recent pullback may be worth watching.
Chasing a stock after everyone is already euphoric can be dangerous. The better opportunities often appear when excitement cools, and fear rises. As Warren Buffett famously put it, investors should be “fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.”
That does not mean every space stock is suddenly a bargain. The industry remains risky, capital-intensive and highly volatile. But SpaceX’s pullback does not change the bigger picture: satellites, launch systems, defense technology, broadband connectivity and space-based data are still becoming more important to governments, businesses and consumers.
And while SpaceX is the name that grabs the headlines, it is not the only company trying to build the next chapter of the space economy.
For investors willing to look beyond the IPO frenzy, the recent dip could create a chance to examine public companies tied to the same long-term space theme — many of which have fallen alongside SpaceX, even as Wall Street still sees major upside.
Of course, spotting those opportunities is easier said than done. If you’re looking for research on individual stocks, tools like Moby can come in handy. Their team of former hedge fund analysts does the heavy lifting — breaking down the market, flagging quality stocks, and making the research easy to digest. This can be especially helpful when it comes to companies producing highly technical products, like those required for space flight.
Even better, across nearly 400 stock picks over the past four years, Moby’s recommendations have beaten the S&P 500 by almost 12% on average. Their research keeps you up-to-the-minute on market shifts, and takes the guesswork out of choosing investments.
Plus, their reports are easy to understand for beginners, so you can become a smarter investor in just five minutes.
Moneywise also dug into three stocks that moved with SpaceX’s dip — from space systems to geointelligence.
Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB)
Rocket Lab is one of the clearest public-market plays on the same space boom that made SpaceX a household name.
The company is best known for its launch business, including its Electron rocket, which serves small-satellite customers. But Rocket Lab is no longer just a rocket company. It also builds spacecraft, provides space systems and is trying to become a more complete space infrastructure business.
The business has already shown momentum. Rocket Lab reported record quarterly revenue (1) in the first quarter of 2026 and a backlog of more than $2.2 billion, giving investors a clearer view of future demand. It also recently completed a rapid-response mission for the U.S. Space Force (2), highlighting its role in the growing national security side of the space economy.
Still, Rocket Lab shares have fallen 31% over the past month, which could give contrarian investors an opening.
KeyBanc Michael Leshock recently upgraded the stock to “Overweight” (3) and assigned it a $135 price target — 37% above where the stock sits today.
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Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ:LUNR)
If SpaceX has made rockets the star of the show, Intuitive Machines is focused on what happens after the launch.
The Houston-based company is building around one of the next big frontiers in commercial space: the moon. Its business spans lunar landers, payload delivery, space communications and infrastructure services — the kinds of capabilities NASA and other customers may need as space becomes less of a one-off mission and more of a permanent operating environment.
The numbers have helped fuel the excitement. Intuitive Machines reported Q1 revenue of $186.7 million (4), roughly triple the year-earlier period, while its backlog climbed to a record $1.1 billion. The company also reaffirmed its 2026 revenue outlook of $900 million to $1 billion.
Intuitive Machines stock has plunged 52% in the past month. But if Wall Street is right, the rebound could be powerful.
Roth Capital Partners analyst Sujeeva De Silva (5) has a “Buy” rating on the stock and a price target of $75 (6) — 257% above current levels.
MDA Space (NYSE:MDA)
For investors who want a space stock with a little more operating heft, MDA Space offers a different kind of moonshot.
The Canadian space technology company works across satellites, robotics, space operations and geointelligence — putting it in the middle of several trends that could benefit if SpaceX continues to push more attention toward the space economy.
MDA Space is not just a concept stock. The company reported Q1 revenue of CA$464.1 million, up 32.2% from a year earlier, while adjusted EBITDA rose to CA$90.6 million (7). It also ended the quarter with a backlog of CA$3.7 billion, giving the business meaningful revenue visibility.
That backlog matters. Space may be a futuristic industry, but investors still want evidence that customers are actually signing contracts and paying for real work. MDA’s exposure to satellite systems, government customers and space infrastructure gives it a more established profile than some of the smaller, more speculative names in the sector.
Its NYSE-listed shares slipped about 15% over the past month. Beacon Securities analyst Russell Stanley has a “Buy” rating on the MDA Space with a price target of $80 (8) — implying a potential upside of 110%.
Own something steadier than a space stock
Space stocks can offer explosive upside, but they are not for the faint of heart.
Companies tied to rockets, satellites and space infrastructure often require heavy spending, long development timelines and a high tolerance for volatility. That can make the potential rewards attractive — but it also means investors may want something steadier in the portfolio.
That is where gold can come in.
Unlike growth stocks, gold does not depend on earnings targets, product launches or analyst upgrades. It has long been viewed as a store of value during periods of market stress, inflation and uncertainty. When investors get nervous about high-flying stocks, government debt or inflation making a comeback, gold often gets another look.
Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, told CNBC last year that “people don’t have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,” adding that “when bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier.”
In other words, investors do not have to choose between chasing the next big theme and protecting what they already have. A balanced portfolio can include both: exposure to long-term growth trends such as space and a hedge designed to hold up when the appetite for risk fades.
Despite a recent pullback, gold prices have surged by more than 130% in the last five years.
One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold.
Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, thereby combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an option for those looking to help shield their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.
When you make a qualifying purchase with Priority Gold, you can receive up to $10,000 in precious metals for free.
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (1), (2); TipRanks (3), (5), (6); Intuitive Machines (4); MDA (7); Can Tech Letter (8)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
