1 Space Stock That’s Expected to Grow at a Significantly Faster Rate Than SpaceX Over the Next Few Years

Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SPCX 0.52%), more commonly referred to as just SpaceX, is easily the most valuable space stock in the world, with a market cap of $1.6 trillion. Many investors are willing to look past its high valuation due to expectations of significant growth in the years ahead.

But what might surprise you is that in the next couple of years, there’s a space stock that analysts expect will actually grow at a faster rate than SpaceX, and that’s AST SpaceMobile (ASTS +0.69%).

Image source: Getty Images.

AST SpaceMobile is much smaller but growing at an extremely fast rate

Last year, SpaceX reported nearly $19 billion in revenue, while AST SpaceMobile generated just under $71 million. Unlike SpaceX, which has a broad business focused on rockets, artificial intelligence (AI), and telecom, AST SpaceMobile is focused on creating a global space-based broadband network.

Its scope is much smaller, but its growth is expected to pick up significantly. According to LSEG data, analysts expect AST SpaceMobile’s revenue to reach nearly $2 billion by 2028, up from $166 million this year, which translates into a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 246%. SpaceX, by comparison, is expected to average a CAGR of nearly 69% over the next couple of years, with its revenue projected to total more than $103 billion in 2028.

Today’s Change

(0.69%) $0.40

Current Price

$58.20

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$17BMarket cap calculated using publicly traded shares outstanding only. Does not include unlisted, private, or dual-class non-traded shares. Implied market cap may vary.

Day’s Range

$56.19 – $59.40

52wk Range

$36.08 – $133.86

Volume

262.9K

Avg Vol

23M

Gross Margin

-22429.27%

Both stocks are expensive, risky buys

AST SpaceMobile may be expected to rise at a far faster rate than SpaceX, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a better buy. At a market cap of around $23 billion, investors are still paying a big premium for the business, as that valuation translates into a price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of nearly 190. SpaceX, by comparison, trades at about 80 times revenue. While neither stock is cheap, SpaceX is more attractively valued based on its revenue.

Space Exploration Technologies

Today’s Change

(-0.52%) $-0.64

Current Price

$123.35

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$1.6TMarket cap calculated using publicly traded shares outstanding only. Does not include unlisted, private, or dual-class non-traded shares. Implied market cap may vary.

Day’s Range

$120.11 – $125.66

52wk Range

$120.11 – $225.64

Volume

825K

Avg Vol

135.2M

The danger of investing in either one of these stocks is that they can be highly volatile and speculative, as their valuations depend more on future expectations than on what they have achieved thus far.

SpaceX has been struggling recently despite a strong rally out of the gate, and has now dipped below its IPO price. Shares of AST SpaceMobile are down about 20% thus far in 2026, as investors may be having second thoughts about its valuation. Both stocks, while they do have some promising upside, also have plenty of room to fall further. Investors should tread carefully with them.