SpaceX IPO Set to Lift the Whole Space Sector -- And One NYSE American Operator Just Stepped Into a Capability NASA Has Asked Industry to Rebuild
Issued on behalf of Starfighters Space, Inc.
USA News Group News Commentary —
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 22, 2026 /CNW/ --
Key Takeaways:
- A Yahoo Finance segment yesterday laid out how the looming SpaceX IPO is set to act as "rocket fuel" for space ETFs and the broader space economy, with the June Nasdaq listing aiming to raise as much as US$75 billion at a US$1.75 trillion valuation — what would be the largest IPO in history. [1][2]
- Starfighters Space, Inc. (NYSE:FJET) announced a signed MOU with Mu-G Technologies, LLC and a joint response to a NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Request for Information for Parabolic Flight Services — a capability the U.S. has gone without domestically. [3]
- Starfighters will host Mu-G's Dassault Falcon 50 at Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas for modification, flight testing, and FAA certification work. [3]
- The combined offering covers four flight environments at one site: microgravity, reduced gravity, hyper-gravity (from the Falcon 50), and the supersonic regime from Starfighters' F-104 fleet. [3]
- Four other publicly traded space names — Intuitive Machines, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR), Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB), Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW), and Voyager Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:VOYG) — are all posting record backlogs into the same sector lift.
The Yahoo Finance segment that ran yesterday made the case directly: when SpaceX hits the public market, the rest of the sector goes with it. ETF.com president Dave Nadig walked through the funds and the broader public space exposure that stands to benefit from what is shaping up to be the largest IPO in history. [1] SpaceX confidentially filed its S-1 with the SEC on April 1, 2026, and its public registration is expected to land on EDGAR between May 18 and May 22 — possibly the same week as the Starfighters–Mu-G announcement. The targeted June Nasdaq listing aims to raise as much as US$75 billion at a US$1.75 trillion valuation. [2]
Against that backdrop, Starfighters Space, Inc. (NYSE:FJET) announced yesterday a signed Memorandum of Understanding with Mu-G Technologies, LLC and a joint response to a NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Request for Information for Parabolic Flight Services. The RFI targets companies that can rebuild the country's commercial microgravity capability — a capability the U.S. has gone without since the last domestic operator exited the market. [3]
Under the MOU, Starfighters will host Mu-G's Dassault Falcon 50 at the Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas, where the aircraft will be modified to conduct parabolic test flights and worked through FAA certification. Starfighters provides ground support, chase plane and data collection, expert pilot integration, and safety and regulatory alignment. The combined offering covers four flight environments at one site: microgravity from the Falcon 50, reduced gravity and hyper-gravity from the same parabolic profiles, and the supersonic regime from Starfighters' F-104s. The NASA RFI specifically asks for "novel or non-traditional flight platforms." [3]
Starfighters CEO Tim Franta and Mu-G founder Robert S. Ward have known each other for nearly thirty years through the Space Coast aerospace community. Franta took over as CEO in February 2026. [4] Starfighters already flies revenue missions for Lockheed Martin, Space Florida, and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. On May 7, it added two senior Blue Origin engineers to lead STARLAUNCH operations.
Four Other Names Riding the Same Wave
Intuitive Machines, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR) — On May 14, the Houston lunar lander company reported record Q1 2026 revenue of US$186.7 million, nearly triple the prior-year quarter, and a record backlog of US$1.1 billion. [5] The same day, it announced a definitive agreement to acquire UK-based Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT, adding 44 antennas to its space-to-Earth network. On May 18, it added two prime contracts worth a combined US$20 million to operate NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera and the ShadowCam instrument. [6] Roth Capital lifted its target to US$50 on May 14; Canaccord raised its target to US$41 a day later. [7]
Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) — Q1 2026 revenue of US$200.3 million, up 63.5% year-over-year, and a record backlog of US$2.2 billion. On May 7, Rocket Lab announced the largest launch contract in its history with a confidential customer covering five Neutron and three Electron launches through 2029. That followed a US$190 million block buy signed in March with the U.S. Department of War for 20 hypersonic test flights of Rocket Lab's HASTE vehicle under MACH-TB 2.0. [8] Cantor Fitzgerald has flagged Neutron's upcoming first flight as a "major catalyst." [9]
Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) — The most direct thematic comparable to today's Starfighters–Mu-G news. Redwire operates nine active payload facilities on the International Space Station, including PIL-BOX, its pharmaceutical manufacturing platform that supported a cancer therapy investigation by Aspera Biomedicines in Q1. [10] On May 6, Redwire reported Q1 2026 revenue of US$97 million, up 57.9% year-over-year, and a record contracted backlog of US$498.1 million. The flagship win for the quarter was selection as one of 14 vendors on the U.S. Space Force's US$1.8 billion Andromeda IDIQ for next-generation geosynchronous reconnaissance and surveillance spacecraft. [10]
Voyager Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:VOYG) — Lead developer of Starlab, the proposed commercial replacement for the ISS, in a joint venture with Airbus, Mitsubishi, and MDA Space. On its May 5 earnings call, Voyager reported a record backlog of US$275.3 million and raised its 2026 revenue guidance to US$230–US$255 million. In April, NASA selected Voyager for its seventh Private Astronaut Mission to the ISS, named VOYG-1, no earlier than 2028. [11] Voyager ended the quarter with US$429.4 million in cash, and management has said Starlab is already 130% subscribed on commercial payload capacity.
Where Starfighters Fits
Compared to the others, Starfighters is a smaller-cap name. But it is one of the few publicly traded operators that owns a flying fleet of supersonic aircraft today, with real revenue from real customers. The Mu-G expansion adds a second dimension to the story: with the Falcon 50 going through modification, certification, and training at Midland under Starfighters' wing, the partnership positions both companies as contenders in a North American commercial microgravity market that does not currently exist domestically and that NASA has specifically asked industry to fill. As always, investors should do their own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making any decision.
For more information on Starfighters Space, Inc., visit: https://usanewsgroup.com/fjet-landing
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Sources:
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/video/spacex-ipo-set-bolster-space-180000761.html
[3] https://ir.starfightersspace.com/news-events/press-releases
[5] https://investors.intuitivemachines.com/news-events/latest-news
[8] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/08/rocket-lab-rklb-q1-earnings-2026.html
[10] https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001819810/000181981026000060/exhibit991redwire03312026e.htm
[11] https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-voyager-for-seventh-private-mission-to-space-station/
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
This publication contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this publication include that demand for U.S. aerodynamic and hypersonic test infrastructure will continue to accelerate; that Starfighters Space, Inc.'s F-104 platform will provide testing capabilities at the cadence and conditions described; that the Company's expansion to Midland, Texas will proceed as planned; that the Company will retain and grow its existing customer base; that comparable companies will perform as expected. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting the reader to understand the Company's business, however such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing governmental laws and policies; the Company's ability to obtain and retain necessary licensing; political and competitive risks; failure of forecasts and assumptions to come to fruition; and other unforeseen circumstances. The publisher of this article does not take responsibility for the accuracy of any statements made by the issuing company or its representatives. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and the publisher undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.
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