A few years ago, “space stocks” were a niche curiosity. Now they show up in group chats and trending feeds, helped by a stream of commercial launches and Artemis II putting the moon back in the news. But nothing has supercharged the conversation like SpaceX’s IPO plans.
MarketWise surveyed 1,011 retail investors about who owns space stocks, who’s watching them, and how much they’d be willing to pay for the SpaceX IPO. Interest turns out to be wide but conviction thin, and many admit they’re buying the dream before they understand the business.
Key Takeaways
- About 1 in 4 retail investors (24%) already own or have owned a space stock, and another 41% have seriously considered buying one. Gen Z is the most space-curious generation, with 28% already owning or having owned a space stock, and 44% watching SpaceX for investing purposes.
- While SpaceX dominates the watch list among space-interested investors, 60% of them are not even tracking it.
- Over 1 in 5 (21%) retail investors plan to buy into the SpaceX IPO, and likely buyers expect to put in a median of $1,000 each.
- Space stocks are being framed as the next AI: 37% see them as the next big narrative trade, and 25% are drawn to space stocks due to a fear of missing out.
- More than 2 in 5 retail investors (44%) admit they have invested in a company mainly because it felt like “the future,” even when they did not understand the business.
The SpaceX IPO Test
The SpaceX IPO is driving most of the current interest in space stocks, so it’s a good place to see where curiosity turns into buying.
About 1 in 5 retail investors (21%) said they’re likely or set to buy SpaceX in the IPO. Just over half (51%) probably or definitely will not, and the remaining 28% are still considering and may buy.
Price is the real obstacle. Overall, 44% of retail investors said SpaceX is already too expensive at its $135 IPO price, and only 4% would buy at any price. Among the rest, the willingness to buy drops off fast as the stock price increases:
- Would buy up to about $150: 20%
- Would buy up to about $200: 14%
- Would buy up to about $300: 5%
The percentage calling $135 too expensive climbs from 41% among Gen Z to 44% among millennials, 46% among baby boomers, and 47% among Gen X. And even the investors who do plan to buy aren’t planning to buy much. The median expected investment is $1,000. Most buyers seem to want a small stake in SpaceX, not a major position.
Who’s Really in the Space Trade?
Ownership numbers can make a trend look small. The real audience for space stocks is much larger than the people currently holding them.
Today, 11% of retail investors own a space stock, and a further 13% have owned one before. On top of that, 41% have seriously considered buying one, which leaves only 35% with no interest at all. So roughly two-thirds of retail investors are at least space-curious.
Space stock ownership skews young:
- Gen Z: 28%
- Millennials: 26%
- Gen X: 21%
- Baby boomers: 15%
Men (29%) are more likely to own or have owned a space stock compared to women (18%).
When it comes to which names investors are watching, SpaceX is the biggest conversation. It’s tracked by 40% of interested investors, far ahead of Rocket Lab (21%) and legacy aerospace and defense companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing (18%). The newcomer companies barely register: Firefly Aerospace, Planet Labs, Redwire, Intuitive Machines, and Momentus are each watched by 6% or fewer.
Interest in SpaceX climbs steadily with youth, from 21% among baby boomers to 36% among Gen X, 43% to millennials, and 44% among Gen Z.
Investors reported that the following have made them more attracted to investing in space-related companies:
- Satellite and broadband demand: 35%
- The SpaceX IPO: 26%
- Recent commercial launches: 26%
- Government and defense funding: 26%
- Fear of missing out: 25%
- Artemis II: 21%
For the people already holding space stocks, the bet is paying off so far: 53% are up, 32% are about even, and only 11% are down.
Buying the Dream Before the Business
Plenty of investors are willing to say out loud that they’re betting on a feeling when buying a stock.
Overall, 44% of retail investors admitted to investing in a company mainly because it felt like the future, even when they didn’t understand the business. That number is identical for men and women, and by age cohort it peaks among Gen Z at 47%.
More than a third of respondents (37%) believe space stocks will be the market’s next big story, the way AI stocks were over the past few years, when excitement about the technology drove prices higher. Gen Z (39%) was the most likely age group to hold this view, while baby boomers (30%) were the least likely.
Opinions are split on which sector is the riskier place to put money: 43% of investors think space stocks are riskier than AI, 40% see about the same risk, and 14% consider space the safer bet. We also asked investors how long they plan to hold their space stocks, and most described themselves as patient:
- Long-term hold: 40%
- Medium-term bet: 34%
- Short-term momentum chase: 11%
One finding stands out as a contradiction. A bubble happens when prices climb far above what companies are really worth. While 36% of investors believe space stocks are in a bubble that will eventually pop, 22% of those same skeptics still plan to buy more over the next year. In other words, some investors are betting they can profit from the rise and get out before the fall.
What the Space Trade Tells Us About How People Invest
The space trade follows a familiar pattern: people get excited about a story before they think through the investment. Interest is wide but shallow, SpaceX is driving most of the excitement, and many investors say plainly that they’re buying a vision rather than a business they can explain.
None of that means space stocks are a bad idea. It does mean it’s smart to slow down. Look at the company itself, not just the headlines. Decide what price you’d pay and how much you’d invest before the hype gets louder. And if a stock feels like the future, treat that as a reason to do more homework, not less.
Methodology
For this study, we surveyed 1,011 retail investors to gauge their experiences and interest in space stocks, centered around the SpaceX IPO. Among those surveyed, 58% reported as men, 41% reported as women, and 1% reported as non-binary. Generationally, 17% of respondents were Gen Z, 52% were millennials, 23% were Gen X, and 8% were baby boomers. The survey was conducted on the Connect Cloud Research platform from June 4–5, 2026.
About Marketwise
MarketWise is a leading financial research and education platform serving self-directed investors. Through a network of independent brands, including Stansberry Research, Altimetry, Chaikin Analytics, TradeSmith, InvestorPlace, Brownstone Research, and Wide Moat Research, MarketWise delivers independent insights, tools, and software to help individuals navigate complex markets with confidence. Whether you’re exploring emerging opportunities or seeking stability, MarketWise supports every investor with credible research and actionable strategies.
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