SpaceX Soars 16%, Rocket Lab Gains 7%, Virgin Galactic Drops 4%: Why Space Stocks Are Diverging Today

SpaceX surged 16% after its IPO, lifting peers as Rocket Lab rose about 7% and Virgin Galactic fell around 4%. SpaceX’s NASDAQ debut priced at $135, opened at $150, and pushed its market cap toward roughly $1.38 trillion. Rocket Lab advanced in sympathy, while Virgin Galactic slid amid a weak period highlighted by a Q1 revenue drop of about 51% to $227,000 and debt-for-equity dilution pressure. The gains reflect strong investor appetite for space stocks and SpaceX’s dominant scale shaping the listed group. SpaceX’s leadership in orbital launches and Starlink coverage underpins the rally, with more than 9,600 Starlink satellites serving 164 countries and RKLB reporting Q1 2026 revenue of $200.35 million, up 64% year over year, and a $2.2 billion backlog.