--- title: "🚀 ASTS vs RKLB｜Both are space stocks, which one should you buy? This article helps you decide." type: "Topics" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/topics/39335696.md" description: "🚀 The space sector has heated up again recently. The two most debated stocks in the group are these — should we choose ASTS or RKLB? Today, let's do a serious side-by-side comparison 🆚. First, what does $AST SpaceMobile(ASTS.US) do? AST SpaceMobile operates low-earth orbit satellites, allowing your regular phone to connect directly to satellite 4G/5G signals without any special equipment — not like Starlink which requires buying a special antenna, it's your iPhone in your pocket connecting directly. They've already signed agreements with AT&T, Verizon..." datetime: "2026-03-18T10:39:49.000Z" locales: - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/topics/39335696.md) - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/topics/39335696.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/topics/39335696.md) author: "[沪上老徐](https://longbridge.com/en/profiles/26419342.md)" --- # 🚀 ASTS vs RKLB｜Both are space stocks, which one should you buy? This article helps you decide. 🚀 The space sector is heating up again recently, and the two most debated stocks in our group are these two — should we choose ASTS or RKLB? Let's do a serious side-by-side comparison today. 🆚 **First, let's talk about**$AST SpaceMobile(ASTS.US) **and what it does** AST SpaceMobile operates low-earth orbit satellites, allowing your regular smartphone to directly connect to satellite 4G/5G signals without any special equipment — not like Starlink which requires a special antenna, just your pocket iPhone connecting directly. It has already signed agreements with AT&T and Verizon, with Verizon set to officially launch services to users in 2026, targeting the deployment of 45-60 satellites by the end of this year. If this story succeeds, it will be truly revolutionary — 4 billion mobile phone users worldwide without stable signals are potential customers. **Next, let's talk about**$Rocket Lab(RKLB.US) **and what it does** Rocket Lab is the second-largest commercial rocket launch company in the US. Its small Electron rocket has launched 83 times with a 100% success rate. Q3 revenue was $155M, up 48% year-over-year, hitting a record high, and it also secured an $816M SDA defense satellite contract. Its medium-sized Neutron rocket is set for its maiden flight in Q4 this year, positioning it against SpaceX's Falcon 9. RKLB isn't just about launching rockets; it also builds satellites and space systems, making it an end-to-end space company. **Let's get straight to the two most critical disagreements. ⚠️** **Disagreement 1: Does it have revenue?** RKLB currently has quarterly revenue of $180M, while ASTS only had $14.7M last quarter. Buying ASTS means buying into the expectation of "$1.9 billion in revenue by 2028," while buying RKLB is buying a business that's already running smoothly now. **Disagreement 2: Which is more expensive?** Analysts expect ASTS revenue CAGR from 2025-2028 to be +200%, while RKLB's is +38%; but in terms of valuation, ASTS trades at only 16x PS based on its 2028 projected revenue, while RKLB is at 26x. Faster growth, yet lower valuation — that's the core reason why media outlets like Motley Fool are currently more bullish on ASTS. **But ASTS has one big red flag that can't be ignored** American Tower is a strategic major shareholder of ASTS and recently reduced its stake by a full 49%, cashing out nearly $1.6 billion. This wasn't a planned reduction — it was an active, timed sell-off. A strategic shareholder with deep knowledge of telecom infrastructure making a large-scale reduction is a signal that's hard to ignore. RKLB's insider selling has been relatively mild. CEO Peter Beck sold $141 million according to a predetermined plan, which is part of a normal compensation arrangement. **🔺 So, how to choose?** The global space economy reached $626 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 12% to surpass $1 trillion by 2034. This pie is big enough for both to get a slice. Aggressive/High-volatility: Choose ASTS, betting that direct satellite-to-phone connectivity will change the communications landscape; Conservative/Visible cash flow: Choose RKLB, wait for the Neutron rocket's maiden flight before adding more; 😄 Lazy solution: Buy half of each, as both are beneficiaries of the space story anyway. $Defiance Daily Target 2X Long RKLB ETF(RKLX.US) $Tradr 2X Long ASTS Daily ETF(ASTX.US) Which one are you choosing? 👇 ### Related Stocks - [LAB.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/LAB.US.md) - [ASTS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ASTS.US.md) - [RKLB.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RKLB.US.md) - [RKLX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RKLX.US.md) - [ASTX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ASTX.US.md) - [AS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AS.US.md) ## Comments (5) - **稳稳的幸福 · 2026-03-18T10:48:59.000Z**: Mobile phones can directly connect to satellites without any additional equipment. Isn't this eliminating signal dead zones? With 4 billion people worldwide lacking signal coverage as potential users, I can't even imagine the ceiling for this. - **交易员成长日记** (2026-03-18T10:50:33.000Z): American Tower reduced its holdings by 49%. It's a telecom infrastructure expert. How do you explain that? - **subaru486 · 2026-03-18T10:47:57.000Z**: The space economy is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2034... I'll just buy half ASTS and half RKLB directly. You guys can argue all you want, I'll just lie back and wait 😂 - **风吹过第七页 · 2026-03-18T10:47:30.000Z · 👍 2**: The Neutron rocket has been delayed once. If it gets delayed again, how much will RKLB fall? It feels like no one has made this risk clear. - **ddccvh** (2026-03-18T13:00:38.000Z): Risk of delay, and then the risk of launch failure!