Space stocks have endured significant selling pressure throughout 2026, leaving retail investors sharply divided over whether the sector has found its floor.
A Stocktwits poll drawing more than 5,700 votes revealed a near-perfect split in sentiment, with 43% of respondents believing space stocks had bottomed and another 43% expecting further downside.
The remaining 14% of poll participants chose to view results rather than commit to a directional call on the battered sector.
ASTS jumped 10%, RKLB gained 5%, and SPCX rose 3% on Tuesday, yet the three remain down 13%, 1%, and 23% respectively for the year so far.
Sentiment on Stocktwits showed ASTS as “bullish” and RKLB as “extremely bullish” amid “high” message volume, while SPCX held a “bearish” reading amid “normal” chatter.
Bulls argued that the prolonged correction has reset valuations after an euphoric rally driven by enthusiasm surrounding SpaceX’s blockbuster initial public offering earlier this year.
“The market had time to take a breather plus a lot of space stocks are now much closer to their intrinsic value, which by itself acts like a strong support,” one Stocktwits user said.
Another bullish investor wrote: “Yes they are all at or near their bottom. Most have fallen to the spot before the June hype… Plus institutions need results now. Many are in the space stocks big.”
Bears remained skeptical, with one user stating: “No, they haven’t bottomed, space is an endless void, and the companies need endless funding.”
Another skeptic singled out Rocket Lab, arguing the company’s recent price strength reflected ETF flows rather than any meaningful improvement in company-specific fundamentals.
Goldman Sachs has maintained a constructive long-term view on the sector, noting its U.S. space and satellite basket gained roughly 13% through July 14, outpacing the S&P 500’s 9.8% gain over the same period.
The Goldman basket had already surged more than 360% over the prior two years, though the firm cautioned it remains twice as volatile as AI stocks and five times as volatile as the broader market.
Goldman identified satellites, defense, and industry “picks-and-shovels” plays as the strongest pockets of opportunity within the space sector going forward.
Even as share prices struggled, dealmaking across the sector continued at a meaningful pace, with Rocket Lab securing a $266 million U.S. Space Force contract to supply 12 suborbital launch vehicles with options for six additional launches through 2028.
Rocket Lab was also selected alongside SpaceX as one of seven providers under the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, which carries a potential ceiling of $17 billion.
AST SpaceMobile completed a $1 billion convertible senior notes offering that generated $984 million in net proceeds to fund growth and expand launch capacity for its satellite-based cellular broadband network.
The company also received approval from the Midland Development Corporation for a performance-based incentive agreement worth up to $66 million over 30 years to support a new Texas satellite manufacturing facility, pending final city approval.
SpaceX remains in focus as investors prepare for the company’s first earnings report as a public company, scheduled for August 4, which will also trigger the first tranche of insider share unlocks.
