SpaceX's Trillion-Dollar IPO Is Turning the Space Sector Into the Trade of 2026 -- Here Are Five Names Already Moving on It

Issued on behalf of Starfighters Space, Inc.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 21, 2026 /CNW/ -- Equity Insider News Commentary — The looming SpaceX IPO has done something that almost no other capital markets event in a decade has managed: it has made the space sector mainstream investible. A Yahoo Finance segment that ran yesterday with ETF.com president Dave Nadig laid out the case directly, walking through the ETFs and broader public space exposure that stand to benefit from what is shaping up to be the largest IPO in history. Multiple ETF issuers are already gearing up. [1]

SpaceX confidentially filed its S-1 with the SEC on April 1, 2026, and its public registration is expected to land on EDGAR between May 18 and May 22. The targeted June Nasdaq listing aims to raise as much as US$75 billion at a US$1.75 trillion valuation. [2] That alone reshapes the comparable set for every publicly traded space name in the market today.

The sector backdrop is more than just one IPO. NASA announced a new Moon Base initiative in March. The Trump administration's Golden Dome missile defense program is in full procurement. The Department of War has expanded its hypersonic test budget. Commercial space stations, lunar landers, and microgravity research platforms — work that until recently lived inside a small handful of government programs — are now being executed by publicly traded companies posting record backlogs. Against that wave, one NYSE American–listed operator at Cape Canaveral made a move yesterday that drops it directly into a federal procurement opening.

A NASA RFI, a Falcon 50, and a Capability the U.S. Has Gone Without

Starfighters Space, Inc. (NYSE:FJET) — the operator of what its own filings describe as the world's fastest fleet of commercial supersonic aircraft — announced a signed Memorandum of Understanding with Mu-G Technologies, LLC and a joint response to a NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Request for Information for Parabolic Flight Services. The RFI targets companies that can rebuild the country's commercial microgravity capability — a capability the U.S. has gone without since the last domestic operator exited the market. [3]

Under the MOU, Starfighters will host Mu-G's Dassault Falcon 50 at the Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas, where the aircraft will be modified to conduct parabolic test flights and worked through FAA certification. Starfighters provides ground support, chase plane and data collection, expert pilot integration, and safety and regulatory alignment. [3]

The combined offering covers four flight environments at one site: microgravity from the Falcon 50, reduced gravity and hyper-gravity from the same parabolic profiles, and the supersonic regime from Starfighters' F-104s. The NASA RFI specifically asks for "novel or non-traditional flight platforms." [3]

Microgravity research is increasingly where real commercial work happens. Pharma and biotech companies use the absence of gravity-driven sedimentation to grow purer protein crystals and study drug mechanisms. Materials scientists use reduced gravity to study how alloys solidify without convection currents. Defense and aerospace engineers use parabolic profiles to test sensors, fluid systems, and components before committing to a launch. U.S. researchers who need that environment today have to look overseas or wait — exactly the gap NASA is asking industry to fill.

Starfighters CEO Tim Franta and Mu-G founder Robert S. Ward have known each other for nearly thirty years through the Space Coast aerospace community. Franta took over as CEO in February 2026. [4] Starfighters already flies revenue missions for Lockheed Martin, Space Florida, and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. [5] On May 7, it added two senior Blue Origin engineers to lead STARLAUNCH operations. [6]

Four Other Names Riding the Same Wave

Karman Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KRMN) — A leader in critical next-generation system solutions for space, hypersonics, and missile defense. On May 12, Karman reported record Q1 2026 revenue of US$151.2 million, up 51.0% year-over-year, with record quarterly adjusted EBITDA of US$44.8 million (29.6% margin) and a record backlog of US$1.0 billion, up 61% year-over-year. The Space and Launch segment led growth at US$43.9 million, with the company introducing a new Maritime Defense Systems end market in the quarter. Management raised full-year 2026 guidance to US$720–US$735 million in revenue and US$208.5–US$219.5 million in adjusted EBITDA. [7][8]

MDA Space Ltd. (NYSE:MDA) — A trusted mission partner to the global space industry, dual-listed on the NYSE and TSX. On May 7, MDA Space reported Q1 2026 revenue of CAD$464 million, up 32% year-over-year, with a backlog of CAD$3.7 billion providing visibility into 2026 and beyond. The company ended the quarter with a CAD$299 million net cash position and CAD$1.2 billion in total liquidity. In April, MDA launched MDA MIDNIGHT™, a space-control platform aimed at protecting critical orbital infrastructure, while in March it announced a Canadian Defence Investment Agency contract for three Ground-Based Optical observatories. CEO Mike Greenley cited a CAD$40 billion pipeline across commercial and government customers. [9]

EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ:SATS) — Holds an equity stake in SpaceX acquired through prior spectrum transactions, now widely flagged as one of the most direct public proxies for the SpaceX IPO repricing thesis. On May 11, EchoStar reported Q1 2026 revenue of US$3.67 billion and confirmed that the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Space Bureau approved its approximately US$40 billion sale of wireless spectrum to AT&T and SpaceX, with EchoStar to continue operating Boost Mobile via an MVNO partnership. [10][11] On May 13, New Street Research initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a US$161 price target, calling EchoStar "the SpaceX play, for now." [12]

Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAT) — A global satellite communications provider with annual revenue of approximately US$4.56 billion. Viasat is one of five companies awarded initial contracts under the U.S. Space Force's Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program, which carries a ceiling of US$4 billion in IDIQ value across awardees for resilient, anti-jam tactical communications. [13] On May 7, Viasat announced a cooperation agreement with activist investor Carronade Capital Management, adding two new independent directors to the Board's Strategic Review Committee. On May 13, New Street Research initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a US$100 price target, citing Viasat's defense communications position as a SpaceX-IPO-adjacent beneficiary. [12]

The Bottom Line

The Yahoo Finance segment captured what the market has already started pricing: when the anchor of the entire ecosystem is going public at a US$1.75 trillion valuation, every publicly traded company that does real work in the same lane gets re-rated. Starfighters Space, Inc. (NYSE:FJET) is one of the few publicly traded operators that owns a flying fleet of supersonic aircraft today, has revenue from blue-chip aerospace customers, and is now in the running for a NASA-defined commercial microgravity capability that does not currently exist domestically. The Mu-G MOU is the next concrete step. As always, investors should do their own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making any decision.

For more information on Starfighters Space, Inc., visit: https://equity-insider.com/fjet-landing

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Sources:

[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/video/spacex-ipo-set-bolster-space-180000761.html

[2] https://www.ibtimes.com/spacex-files-largest-ipo-ever-while-absorbing-494-billion-loss-its-xai-merger-3802915

[3] https://ir.starfightersspace.com/news-events/press-releases

[4] https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/FJET/8-k-starfighters-space-inc-reports-material-event-3234f73ec472.html

[5] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/starfighters-space-demonstrates-commercial-supersonic-130000515.html

[6] https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/starfighters-space-adds-blue-origin-130000983.html

[7] https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0002040127/000119312526219495/krmn-ex99_1.htm

[8] https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/KRMN/8-k-karman-holdings-inc-reports-material-event-0e4e3b7a2b1a.html

[9] https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001857047/000110465926056789/tm2613608d3_ex99-1.htm

[10] https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/sats/

[11] https://blockonomi.com/echostar-sats-stock-surges-on-spacex-ipo-speculation-and-40b-fcc-spectrum-deal/

[12] https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/spacex-ripple-effect-rklb-sats-vsat-top-space-stock-bets/cZX1hH7Re1b

[13] https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/viasat-secures-contract-for-us-space-force-satellite-program-93CH-4277193

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While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our article is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This publication contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this publication include that demand for U.S. aerodynamic and hypersonic test infrastructure will continue to accelerate; that Starfighters Space, Inc.'s F-104 platform will provide testing capabilities at the cadence and conditions described; that the Company's expansion to Midland, Texas will proceed as planned; that the Company will retain and grow its existing customer base; that comparable companies will perform as expected. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting the reader to understand the Company's business, however such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing governmental laws and policies; the Company's ability to obtain and retain necessary licensing; political and competitive risks; failure of forecasts and assumptions to come to fruition; and other unforeseen circumstances. The publisher of this article does not take responsibility for the accuracy of any statements made by the issuing company or its representatives. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and the publisher undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

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