Leading space exploration and aerospace companies by market cap
Space exploration and aerospace companies represent the vanguard of human technological advancement, driving innovation beyond Earth’s atmosphere. They are primarily traded on exchanges like NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), critical platforms for next-generation transportation and defense investments. Despite high development costs, the aerospace sector, led by pioneering firms, offers investors access to companies revolutionizing satellite deployment, space tourism, and interplanetary research.
Global aerospace exchanges are not just platforms for aviation manufacturers; they attract capital seeking exposure to the $500B+ space economy. The main advantages of investing in aerospace stocks include:
- Orbital infrastructure builders: Companies developing launch systems, satellite networks, and deep-space exploration technologies.
- Core mission domains: Launch providers (Rocket Lab, Astra), satellite operators (Maxar Technologies), defense contractors (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman), and space tourism (Virgin Galactic).
- Government partnerships: Long-term contracts with NASA, ESA, and defense departments providing revenue stability.
Industry pioneer SpaceX, though private, has transformed space access through reusable rockets, completing 96 successful launches in 2023 alone. Public leaders like Lockheed Martin (builder of NASA’s Orion Moon spacecraft) and Northrop Grumman anchor the sector, with Lockheed securing $15B in space-related government contracts annually. Investing in aerospace stocks provides exposure to humanity’s expansion into the cosmos.
Leading aerospace firms are engineering marvel creators. Rocket Lab achieved 10 Electron rocket launches in 2023 while Maxar’s satellites map 90% of Earth’s surface weekly. Virgin Galactic completed 11 commercial spaceflights since 2023. This progress explains why the global space economy is projected to reach $1.8T by 2035. Beyond rockets, the sector includes 4 of the world’s 10 most advanced space technologies: SpaceX Starship (Mars vehicle), Lockheed Martin cislunar infrastructure, Northrop Grumman satellite servicing, and Rocket Lab’s Photon satellite bus.
Regulated brokerThe following table contains a list of the largest publicly traded aerospace companies by market capitalization, primarily traded on NASDAQ/NYSE (including pure-play space firms and diversified defense leaders with major space divisions). The list includes only publicly traded companies, and the presented data (price, market cap) are regularly updated to reflect the current market situation.
| Stock | Price | Change % | Marketcap |
|---|---|---|---|
| $297.47 | 0.82% | 313.78B | |
| $201.28 | 3.68% | 269.87B | |
 Honeywell HON | $220.91 | 0.11% | 148.86B |
 Boeing BA | $244.56 | 1.56% | 191.51B |
 Airbus AIR.PA | $236.79 | 1.48% | 186.92B |
| $594.95 | 2.28% | 138.90B | |
 NEXT VISION STABIL NXSN.TA | $92.57 | 5.10% | 0.0845B |
 Safran SAF.PA | $367.30 | 0.52% | 153.13B |
 TransDigm TDG | $1,427.18 | 0.61% | 80.57B |
| $678.74 | 2.69% | 97.18B | |
| $16.96 | 0.36% | 1.40B | |
| $215.53 | 0.06% | 86.75B | |
BAE Systems BA.L | $27.52 | 1.98% | 0.8028B |
Hindustan Aeronautics HAL.NS | $47.41 | 0.99% | 0.0317T |
Bharat Electronics BEL.NS | $4.54 | 1.28% | 0.0332T |
 Kongsberg Gruppen KOG.OL | $33.10 | 1.59% | 29.11B |
 MTU Aero Engines MTX.DE | $450.54 | 1.91% | 24.23B |
 Leonardo LDO.MI | $68.57 | 2.16% | 39.56B |
 Rocket Lab RKLB | $87.00 | 8.14% | 46.47B |
 Elbit Systems ESLT | $729.88 | 2.92% | 33.90B |
SAAB AB SAAB-B.ST | $79.96 | 2.00% | 42.95B |
 Woodward WWD | $329.43 | 0.53% | 19.76B |
 Hanwha Aerospace 012450.KS | $879.98 | 3.17% | 0.0453T |
Melrose Industries MRO.L | $8.78 | 1.36% | 0.1103B |
 Leonardo DRS DRS | $42.16 | 3.77% | 11.22B |
 CAE CAE | $33.92 | 3.79% | 10.92B |
Loar Holdings LOAR | $70.76 | 1.57% | 6.62B |
 Joby Aviation JOBY | $13.47 | 1.43% | 12.28B |
Bombardier BBD-B.TO | $182.06 | 3.64% | 18.08B |
AST SpaceMobile ASTS | $111.34 | 6.26% | 40.91B |
Archer Aviation ACHR | $8.09 | 0.75% | 5.94B |
AeroVironment AVAV | $309.57 | 2.28% | 15.46B |
 Globalstar GSAT | $63.44 | 5.03% | 8.05B |
Korea Aerospace Industries 047810.KS | $112.75 | 0.85% | 0.011T |
| $21.20 | 2.22% | 2.25B | |
Mercury Systems MRCY | $101.04 | 2.17% | 6.07B |
MDA Ltd. MDA.TO | $28.49 | 6.46% | 3.60B |
| $52.17 | 1.72% | 89.20B | |
ENAV ENAV.MI | $5.70 | 0.92% | 3.08B |
SIA Engineering Company S59.SI | $2.66 | 0.59% | 2.98B |
| $20.29 | 10.15% | 2.89B | |
| $28.07 | 8.50% | 9.22B | |
Redwire RDW | $14.20 | 29.56% | 2.35B |
| $13.27 | 1.26% | 955.24M | |
Montana Aerospace AERO.SW | $43.42 | 1.50% | 2.71B |
Red Cat Holdings RCAT | $15.67 | 9.96% | 1.87B |
 OHB SE OHB.DE | $320.63 | 15.38% | 6.14B |
 Bristow Group VTOL | $45.00 | 1.81% | 1.30B |
Ducommun DCO | $111.29 | 0.75% | 1.66B |
Telesat TSAT | $28.40 | 1.22% | 1.45B |
BET SHEMESH ENGINE BSEN.TA | $267.94 | 0.60% | 0.0254B |
| $78.45 | 1.12% | 2.80B | |
DroneShield DRO.AX | $2.76 | 4.43% | 2.52B |
AVIO AVIO.MI | $40.14 | 0.59% | 1.84B |
Satellogic SATL | $5.50 | 20.09% | 745.07M |
| $26.86 | 10.49% | 966.76M | |
| $5.35 | 0.94% | 533.86M | |
| $23.77 | 1.61% | 473.64M | |
 FACC AG FACC.VI | $13.75 | 1.19% | 629.67M |
TAT Technologies TATT | $53.65 | 2.52% | 694.80M |
 Unusual Machines UMAC | $16.29 | 6.96% | 620.81M |
| $56.01 | 7.82% | 547.65M | |
Virgin Galactic SPCE | $3.15 | 4.65% | 230.36M |
Gooch & Housego GHH.L | $9.25 | 0.90% | 2.53M |
| $21.28 | 3.80% | 377.77M | |
Latécoère S.A. LAT.PA | $0.021 | 2.21% | 266.78M |
Creotech Instruments CRI.WA | $167.13 | 2.42% | 0.4771B |
NSE SA ALNSE.PA | $51.18 | 2.49% | 168.90M |
| $2.23 | 1.83% | 140.99M | |
Luna Innovations LUNA | $1.15 | 0.00% | 39.90M |
Sidus Space SIDU | $3.62 | 3.13% | 240.80M |
Sogeclair ALSOG.PA | $34.79 | 1.03% | 106.31M |
| $1.26 | 5.00% | 26.68M | |
| $1.22 | 0.83% | 53.13M | |
| $3.47 | 3.89% | 16.57M | |
Astrotech ASTC | $3.66 | 0.88% | 6.44M |
Momentus MNTS | $7.85 | 3.56% | 13.11M |
Draganfly DPRO | $8.52 | 5.84% | 217.96M |
| $33.12 | 1.22% | 11.08B |
