A Second Space Race? NASA is accelerating the construction of a nuclear reactor on the moon, and these two investment themes are expected to boom!

On August 4, local time, according to Fox News, NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy will unveil a major space energy plan this week: building a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface. Duffy stated that NASA has received clear instructions and must immediately initiate the industry proposal solicitation process to advance the implementation of the plan.

A senior NASA official said, "This is about winning the second space race." Duffy also issued an order to accelerate the replacement of the International Space Station, which is another core goal for NASA. These two initiatives will expedite the U.S. return to the Moon and the mission to land on Mars.

Duffy's directive for the reactor requires NASA to solicit proposals from Industry to build a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor and launch it by 2030, serving as a key support technology for future astronauts returning to the Moon. Previously, NASA had funded the development of a 40-kilowatt lunar surface reactor, with the goal of being ready for launch in the early 2030s.

Market analysts believe that this plan marks further efforts by the U.S. in the space race, which will be Bullish for the space, nuclear, and related Industry Chain companies. So, which specific companies are worth watching?

I. Space Industry

PreviouslyIs the Trump 2.0 era approaching, set to 'ignite' U.S. space Concept stocks?、Is a Space AI Data Center on the Horizon? In the Trump 2.0 Era, Which Space Concept Stocks Could Benefit?It has been noted that in the Trump 2.0 era, the space sector is expected to see significant opportunities.

Specifically:

1. Launch Service Providers

U.S. small commercial rocket company $Rocket Lab(RKLB.US)$ is a commercial aerospace company specializing in small and medium-sized rocket launch services, and it holds a leading position globally, second only to SpaceX.

Notably, The Washington Post, citing informed sources, reported that after a dispute between Trump and Musk, representatives from NASA and the Pentagon called on SpaceX's competitors to accelerate the development of alternative rockets and spacecraft. The report stated, “Government officials contacted at least three commercial space companies, including Rocket Lab.”

"The First Space Tourism Stock" $Virgin Galactic(SPCE.US)$ Virgin Galactic is the world's first publicly traded human spaceflight company, offering suborbital flight services. The company has completed two test flights to the edge of space and has received deposits totaling nearly $80 million from 603 people across 60 countries and regions.

2. Space Infrastructure and Services

"The First Lunar Infrastructure Stock," U.S. space exploration company $Intuitive Machines(LUNR.US)$As a new entrant in the lunar exploration industry, the company plans to launch its IM-2 mission to the Moon by the end of 2024 or early 2025. The company has also announced that it has signed additional contracts with NASA's Near Space Network (NSN) program, which will enable the company to fully leverage the maximum potential value of the NSN program, estimated at $4.82 billion.

Pillar of Space Infrastructure $Redwire(RDW.US)$ Unlike other space companies with flashy presentations, Redwire positions itself as 'practical,' akin to the 'nuts and bolts' of the space infrastructure. As a leader in space infrastructure, Redwire's business spans multiple critical areas, from space manufacturing to advanced space exploration robotics. Its core technologies are crucial for future space missions and the commercialization beyond Earth.

In addition, it includes commercial space companies $Momentus(MNTS.US)$ , space infrastructure pioneers $Sidus Space(SIDU.US)$ , and space and defense technology company $Voyager Technologies(VOYG.US)$ Voyager is collaborating with NASA and has received a $217.5 million R&D grant to design the "Starlab" commercial space station, which is expected to replace the soon-to-be-retired International Space Station by 2030.

3. Satellite Communications

The first U.S. low-orbit satellite company, $AST SpaceMobile(ASTS.US)$ is dedicated to building a global low-orbit satellite Internet network, leveraging existing 4G/5G communication bands and standards, to enable mobile devices to connect directly to satellites without any modifications.

Additionally, there are two major operators of geostationary (GEO) broadband services in North America — $EchoStar(SATS.US)$ and $Viasat(VSAT.US)$ 。            

Satellite communication service provider $Iridium Communications(IRDM.US)$ , the company provides global voice and data services through 66 satellites, and is expected to achieve stable growth in the future by expanding its user base and securing government contracts.

U.S. low-orbit satellite communications company $Globalstar(GSAT.US)$ one of the earliest companies to enter the low-orbit satellite communication field and achieve commercial success, having been in operation since two decades ago. It remains an important member of the Industry, but with limited user development and insufficient profitability, it faces significant operational pressures.

4. Earth Observation and Imaging

$Planet Labs PBC(PL.US)$ is a 13-year-old Earth imaging company with an important and intriguing mission: to capture images of the Earth daily. The company operates the world's largest constellation of remote sensing satellites, providing change monitoring and geographic information insights to global government and commercial clients through high-frequency collection of Earth surface imagery data and advanced AI analysis technology.

$BlackSky Technology(BKSY.US)$ is a leading provider of real-time geospatial intelligence services. The company operates a small constellation of high-resolution remote sensing satellites, offering high-frequency imagery, analysis, and monitoring services for specific targets or areas. Notably, this company has also entered into a strategic partnership with $Palantir(PLTR.US)$ to integrate its imagery and data into Palantir's platform.

$Spire Global(SPIR.US)$ is a provider of space data, analytics, and space services. This year, the company announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to develop AI-driven weather forecasting. It stated that it will be able to provide rapidly updated global forecasts and other features, which are not possible with traditional numerical weather prediction models.

5. Technology Instruments

$Teledyne Technologies(TDY.US)$ focuses on advanced aerospace systems and solutions, such as aircraft electronic appliances, defense systems, and satellite technology, and also serves markets in factory automation, environmental tracking, and pharmaceutical research.

6. Space Batteries

$KULR Technology(KULR.US)$ is a battery technology company that primarily provides cutting-edge energy storage solutions for space, aerospace, and defense. NASA is also one of its clients.

7. Aerospace and Defense Companies

including $RTX Corp(RTX.US)$ 、 $Lockheed Martin(LMT.US)$ 、 $L3Harris Technologies(LHX.US)$ 、 $Northrop Grumman(NOC.US)$ 、 $Boeing(BA.US)$ 、 $AAR Corp(AIR.US)$ 、 $Kratos Defense & Security Solutions(KTOS.US)$ 、 $Howmet Aerospace(HWM.US)$ 。

Among these, Lockheed Martin has provided various technological support and projects for NASA, including the development of supersonic aircraft and participation in other space exploration projects.

8. Space parts manufacturers include$Heico(HEI.US)$ 、 $Astronics(ATRO.US)$ 。

In addition, funds heavily invested in SpaceX's closed-end fund include $Destiny Tech100(DXYZ.US)$ is also worth watching.

II. Nuclear Energy Technology

The nuclear energy theme has received a new catalyst — the U.S. announced plans for a lunar nuclear power reactor, which overnight led to a rebound in nuclear energy stocks. In fact, nuclear energy is also a very important field in the AI era. Previously, Futubull has also compiled related companies:

In detail, uranium mining includes $Cameco(CCJ.US)$ 、$Uranium Energy(UEC.US)$ 、$Energy Fuels(UUUU.US)$ 、$Denison Mines(DNN.US)$ 、$NexGen Energy(NXE.US)$ Nuclear fuel processing$Centrus Energy(LEU.US)$ 。

The midstream includes design, research and development, and construction, including:

$NuScale Power(SMR.US)$ is the first SMR nuclear power company to go public, with its core product being the SMR power module;

$Oklo Inc(OKLO.US)$ The company focuses on developing small modular reactors (SMRs) and has received investment from Sam Altman, the 'father of ChatGPT.'

$NANO Nuclear Energy(NNE.US)$ The company is dedicated to the development of small modular reactors, with its main business covering four areas related to SMRs, including manufacturing, fuel, transportation, and more, aiming to build a diversified and vertically integrated industry chain.

$BWX Technologies(BWXT.US)$ The company specializes in the manufacture of nuclear reactor components and nuclear energy technology. The main difference from SMR/OKLO is that BWXT is a major supplier of large equipment and technical services, primarily providing nuclear reactor components, nuclear fuel, and defense-related nuclear technology to government and commercial sectors, with clients including the U.S. government (such as supplying nuclear reactors for naval submarines).

Of particular note is BWX Technologies, which has previously collaborated with NASA to develop nuclear-powered rockets. BWX Technologies was responsible for the design and manufacture of the nuclear reactor and the necessary nuclear fuel.

Overall, investors are focusing on short-term order expectations for space stocks and can consider long-term investments in the nuclear Industry Chain (such as uranium mining and reactor technology). NASA's accelerated plans may bring policy support and funding, potentially catalyzing the performance of related companies.