Space Stock Face-Off: Is AST SpaceMobile or Planet Labs Worth Your Money Right Now?
Why it matters: The space economy is projected to grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035, creating significant investment opportunities for companies like AST SpaceMobile and Planet Labs.
- AST SpaceMobile (ASTS +10.28%) is developing a cellular broadband network for unmodified smartphones using satellites, partnering with carriers like AT&T and Verizon, and securing government contracts like a recent $30 million award from the U.S. Space Development Agency.
- Planet Labs (PL +16.84%) operates the world's largest Earth-imaging satellite fleet, providing high-resolution daily imagery for government, agriculture, and disaster response, and is collaborating with Nvidia to build a GPU-native AI engine for planetary intelligence.
- AST SpaceMobile is in a capital-intensive buildout phase, having raised $3.9 billion in February, and aims to launch 45-60 satellites by 2026 for continuous commercial service in initial target markets.
- Planet Labs is further along in commercialization, generating $308 million in revenue last year compared to AST SpaceMobile's $71 million, and is closer to profitability with hundreds of satellites already in orbit.
As the space economy gears up for an estimated $1.8 trillion growth by 2035, investors are eyeing pure-play space stocks like AST SpaceMobile and Planet Labs, both leveraging satellite technology for distinct purposes. While AST SpaceMobile focuses on direct-to-device cellular broadband and government contracts, Planet Labs dominates Earth imaging with a vast satellite fleet, serving diverse sectors from defense to agriculture.
