Space & Satellite Business 

Tourism, Communications, & Rockets

 

AZ TRT S05 EP25 (240) 6-23-2024 

 

What We Learned This Week:

·         Business Model of Space is expanding, from Satellite delivery, to rockets, to space tourism, to future colonies on the Moon & Mars.

·         Satellite Communication and technology industries, expanding by the day

·         Long-term, both cell phones and Internet may be delivered worldwide via satellite

·         Space Aviation companies improving Rocket technology to put more satellites in the orbit at a lower cost

 

 

 

Notes:

 

Seg. 1

 

Rocket Lab Bio

https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/rklb

 

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/updates/rocket-lab-usa-poised-to-change-the-space-industry/

US Aerospace company Rocket Lab is developing a world-first launch vehicle to deliver satellites into orbit cheaper and faster than ever before.

Rocket Lab announced today its plan to revolutionize the global space industry with the creation of Electron, a lightweight, cost-effective rocket, making it easier for companies to launch small satellites into orbit.

Rocket Lab is building the world’s first carbon-composite launch vehicle at its Auckland, New Zealand facility. The development of Electron will reduce the price of delivering a satellite into orbit. At a cost of less than $5 million dollars, this represents a drastic cost reduction compared to existing dedicated launch services[1].

The lead-time for businesses to launch a satellite will also be reduced from years[2] down to weeks through vertical integration with Rocket Lab’s private launch facility. Rocket Lab has already garnered strong commercial demand with commitments for its first 30 launches.

Rocket Lab’s principal funder is top-tier Silicon Valley venture firm, Khosla Ventures, which has a long track record of backing breakthrough technologies that revolutionize industries.

Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, says it is exciting to see to the technology and innovation coming out of Rocket Lab.

“We are thrilled to be investing in the next chapter of Rocket Lab’s development as they drive down the cost of launch vehicles to provide greater access to space,” said Mr. Khosla.

“The company’s technical innovations will truly transform the space industry.”

 

 

About Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab is an aerospace company founded in 2006 by New Zealander, Peter Beck. The company is focused on delivering innovative, high quality technologies to the space industry.

Rocket Lab was created to cater to the growing requirement within the international market for fast, low cost methods of delivering payloads to space. Since inception, the company has successfully developed a number of leading rocket-based systems, from sounding rockets through to new advanced propulsion technologies.

Rocket Lab is an American company with a subsidiary and head office in Auckland, New Zealand.

Rocket Lab was the first private company to reach space in the southern hemisphere in 2009 with its Atea 1 suborbital sounding rocket. Following this success the company won contracts with aerospace giants Lockheed Martin, DARPA and Aeroject Rocket-dyne.

 

Who are rocket Labs' competitors?

The main competitors of Rocket Lab USA include AST SpaceMobile (ASTS), Hub Group (HUBG), Walker & Dunlop (WD), Matterport (MTTR), Joby Aviation (JOBY), Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), ChargePoint (CHPT), Forward Air (FWRD), Park-Ohio (PKOH), and United Parcel Service (UPS)

 

Market Cap: Rocket Lab $2.2B vs. Hub Group $2.7B

 

SapceX

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, commonly referred to as SpaceX, is an American spacecraft manufacturer, launch service provider and satellite communications company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and ultimately developing a sustainable colony on Mars. The company currently produces and operates the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets along with the Dragon and Starship spacecraft.

The company offers internet service via its Starlink subsidiary, which became the largest-ever satellite constellation in January 2020 and, as of April 2024, comprised more than 6,000 small satellites in orbit.[8]

 

 

 

https://medium.com/how-do-they-make-money/how-does-spacex-make-money

How does SpaceX make money?

 

SpaceX is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk. The company’s mission is to revolutionize space transportation and eventually enable the colonization of Mars.

 

One of the primary ways that SpaceX makes money is through contracts with government agencies and commercial customers for launches of its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. SpaceX has a backlog of over 100 launches, with contracts from both government and commercial customers. The company’s contracts with government agencies, such as NASA, have been particularly lucrative, with SpaceX receiving billions of dollars in funding to develop and launch rockets for various missions.

 

In addition to launch services, SpaceX also makes money through the production and sale of satellite hardware. The company manufactures a range of satellite products, including the Starlink satellite constellation, which is designed to provide high-speed internet to remote and underserved areas around the world. The Starlink constellation currently consists of over 1,000 satellites, with plans to eventually have over 12,000 in orbit. SpaceX generates revenue from the sale of hardware and services to customers that use the Starlink system.

 

Another way that SpaceX makes money is through research and development contracts. The company has received funding from the government and private organizations to develop new technologies, such as its Raptor rocket engine and its Starship spacecraft. These contracts provide SpaceX with a steady stream of revenue and help the company advance its goals of developing reusable rockets and enabling human spaceflight.

 

SpaceX also generates revenue from its launch facilities and other assets. The company operates launch sites at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, as well as a facility in Texas where it tests its rocket engines. SpaceX also owns a number of other assets, including a fleet of cargo ships and recovery vessels that it uses to support its launches and recover rocket boosters.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Origin

Blue Origin Enterprises, L.P.,[2] commonly referred to as Blue Origin[3] is an American aerospace manufacturer, government contractor, launch service provider,[4][5] and space technologies[6] company headquartered in Kent, Washington, United States. The company makes rocket engines for United Launch Alliance (ULA)'s Vulcan rocket and manufactures their own rockets, spacecraft, satellites,[7] and heavy-lift launch vehicles. The company is the second provider of lunar lander services for NASA's Artemis program and was awarded a $3.4 billion contract.[8] The four rocket engines the company has in production are the BE-3U, BE-3PM, BE-4 and the BE-7.[9]

The organization was awarded the Robert J. Collier Trophy in 2016 for demonstrating rocket booster reusability with their New Shepard Rocket Program.[10] The award is administered by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association (NAA) and is presented to those who have made "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year."[11]

 

https://www.strategyzer.com/library/space-as-a-business-model-arena

Industry forces

Here we can analyze our supply chain — the ISS. Not only will other governments be able to take a ride, but anyone with the budget and a business plan, could launch a business from the ISS. Other considerations:

Competitors:
Governmental Organizations such as NASA, ESA, and more than 9 countries have orbital launch capabilities.

New Entrants:
Private Companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, Bigelow Aerospace, Stratolaunch, Rocket Lab, and Planetary Resources to name a few.

Supply Chain:
NASA recently announced that the International Space Station will be open for commercial business for an approximate cost of $52M. Starting in 2020, Astro-preneurs with deep pockets can use the ISS for off-earth manufacturing, research or tourism.

 

https://www.relativityspace.com/

A rocket company at the core, Relativity Space is on a mission to become the next great commercial launch company. With an ever-growing need for space infrastructure, demand for launch services is continuously outpacing supply. Our reusable rockets can meet this demand, offering customers the right size payload capacity at the right cost. Using an iterative development approach, we are strategically focused on reducing vehicle complexity, cost, and time to market. Our patented technologies enable innovative designs once thought impossible and unlock new value propositions in the booming space economy.

 

 

Seg. 2

Space Tourism

https://apnews.com/article/virgin-galactic-tourist-spaceflight-branson-4c0904e4f222bd1aa4194c1a43777dd2

August 10, 2023

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Virgin Galactic rocketed to the edge of space with its first tourists Thursday, a former British Olympian who bought his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean.

The space plane glided back to a runway landing at Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert, after a brief flight that gave passengers a few minutes of weightlessness.

This first private customer flight had been delayed for years; its success means Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic can now start offering monthly rides, joining Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the space tourism business.

“That was by far the most awesome thing I’ve ever done in my life,” said Jon Goodwin, who competed in canoeing in the 1972 Olympics.

Goodwin, 80, was among the first to buy a Virgin Galactic ticket in 2005 and feared, after later being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, that he’d be out of luck. Since then he’s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and cycled back down, and said he hopes his spaceflight shows others with Parkinson’s and other illnesses that ”it doesn’t stop you doing things.”

Ticket prices were $200,000 when Goodwin signed up. The cost is now $450,000.

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/5-space-stocks-investors-watch-183956447.html

The 5 space stocks investors need to watch

 

Yahoo Finance - Mon, Jun 24, 2024

The space industry is counting down to lift off with major investments pouring into the sector from multiple superpowers. Many space-related companies have profited off this new space race, giving new avenues for investors to add this sector to their portfolios.

So which space related stocks should investors at least be keeping their eye on right now for potential investment here?

The first on the list is intuitive machines.  LUNR

This is an infrastructure play. The company made history back in February, its commercial lander. Odysseus successfully landed on the moon.

The stock had skyrocketed leading up to the landing, but subsequently crashed when the lander permanently faded with no chance of waking up on the moon. The landing paved the way for some future missions, including one slated for late this year.

number two on the list is Iridium, a commonly viewed company as a satellite phone company with a network built for mobile applications.

Iridium Communications Inc

NASDAQ: IRDM

 

Whether that be on devices that people are using or the Internet of things, Iridium boasts that it's the only network that has 100% Earth coverage where it's delivered.

The company is profitable as it's been around for more than 25 years.

Number three on the list is Planet Labs, the company found by three NASA scientists. - Planet Labs PBC

It designs, builds and operates the largest earth observation fleet of imaging satellites.It has over 1000 customers, including entities involved with agriculture, forestry, education and government agencies.

Heightened security needs, increased sustainability and global climate risk are some of the trends that have been driving demand for their earth imaging.

number four is spire global. SPIR

This is a Data and Analytics company that uses satellites to collect information from space. Think whether ocean winds, shipping information and anything else that can be observed from space.

The company has over 800 customers from about over 50 countries. About half are from governments.The other half come from commercial entities.

number five on the list is Rocket Lab.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB) Stock

The Rocket launch service company launched its 50th electron rocket in June.

Electron has become the landing commercial small launch vehicle in Western countries, and the company remains on track for another year of record electron launches during Rocket Lab UH, it's their May earnings management mentioned.

The company was awarded a second mission from the US Space Force for a space test programme that's carrying out research and experiments for the Department of Defence.

space ETF UFO started in 2019, and that focuses on companies that are significantly engaged in the space industry.

So it includes companies from around the world, not just the US, and its fund invests in at least 80% of its Net assets and those companies that derive at least half of their revenue or profit from space related businesses.

Ark Invest Arc X that was started in March 2021 at the height of the market. The fund aims at providing exposure to companies involved in space related businesses like reusable rockets, satellites, drones and other sub or aircrafts.

Large cap stocks are the most common holdings of that, ETF represented about 40 42% of the portfolio.Medium cap represents about 31% and the rest are small cap and then you've got the spider, S and P Aerospace and Defence X they are.

It is an ETF focus on aerospace and defence, just like the name sounds it launched in 2011. And funds largest holdings include Arrow Environment, for example, a defence company that manufactures drones and unmanned vehicles.

 

https://investorplace.com/2024/04/lunr-stock-alert-intuitive-machines-nabs-nasa-contract/

LUNR Stock Alert: Intuitive Machines Nabs NASA Contract

 

By Larry Ramer, InvestorPlace Contributor Apr 4, 2024

• Intuitive Machines (LUNR) stock is trending after NASA awarded the company a contract.
• Under the deal, Intuitive will help develop a Lunar Terrain Vehicle for an upcoming trip to the moon.
• The company successfully landed on the moon back in February, deploying “payloads and commercial cargo” on behalf of NASA.

 

Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ:LUNR) is trending on social media and business news websites as LUNR stock moves up today. Shares of the company are up almost 4% as of this writing. This comes after Intuitive Machines won a NASA contract to support the agency’s efforts for a mission to the moon.

Intuitive will be a “prime contractor” for NASA’s Artemis campaign, which is slated to include human exploration of the moon. Intuitive Machines will receive an initial payment of $30 million as part of the contract.

 

LUNR Stock: Intuitive Machines’ Contract From NASA

Under the agreement, Intuitive Machines will help complete a “Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services Feasibility Assessment.” The LTV feasibility roadmap will also utilize Intuitive’s Nova-D cargo-class lunar lander.

The company will work on the LTV plans with a number of partners. These include Boeing (NYSE:BA), auto supplier Michelin (OTCMKTS:MGDDY) and huge defense contractor Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC).

NASA plans to spend a max total of $4.6 billion on the LTV.

More About Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines reports itself to be the “only United States commercial company to deliver science and technology data from the surface of the Moon.” On Feb. 23, the company successfully landed on the moon and deployed “five NASA payloads and commercial cargo.”

Intuitive was first launched in 2012 by co-founder, President and CEO Stephen Altemus, who was previously the Deputy Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Meanwhile, co-founder and Chairman Dr. Kamal Ghaffarian previously “held numerous technical and management positions” at Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), Ford Aerospace and Loral.

 

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4700964-rocket-lab-stock-weakness-is-opportunity

Rocket Lab Stock: Weakness Is Opportunity

Jun. 25, 2024 Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB) Stock

 

• When it comes to investing in small companies successfully, investors need to be ready to go through periods where improvements to company fundamentals will yield little to no returns.
• Rocket Lab's stock has declined despite promising developments, including a $515 million government contract and a new deal with Synspective for 10 Electron launches.
• Rocket Lab's pipeline is strengthening with new contracts, and the company's Space Systems business is expected to drive growth.
• Rocket Lab's fundamentals are improving, with revenue expected to accelerate to over $430 million this year and high double-digit growth projected for the next five years, potentially leading to profitability by 2027.

 

 

 

Clips used from Past Shows in Seg 1:

 

Stock Investing Info from Earnings Hub w/ Hamid Shojaee

 

AZ TRT S05 EP23 (238) 6-9-2024 

 

What We Learned This Week:

• Earnings Hub is a platform where you can find all the information on a company, when their earnings are coming out, & quarterly calls
• Earnings info for Public Co’s is often hard to find, and the income for stocks is crucial to the price
• Hamid is a long term investor like Buffet, more of buy and hold of good stocks, only owns 8 stocks
• Concentration Builds Wealth – Diversification Preserves it.
• Looking for companies that can grow 10x over the next few years, and this is hard with massive companies worth $ trillions like Apple or Microsoft

 

Another company Hamid likes is called Rocket Lab. Stock is $4 and they have a Market Cap of $2 billion vs a competitor like SpaceX valued at $180 billion. Just like SpaceX, Rocket Lab will be putting satellites into orbit.

 

He’s a big fan of Rocket Lab, which is in competition with SpaceX and its subsidiary Starlink providing satellite internet. This is all about putting satellites into space. Curious to see if Amazon Jeff Bezos space company, Blue Origin will be in the mix later.

 

Full Show: HERE

 

 

 

BRT S03 EP25 (124) 6-12-2022 –

BRT in Space with Satellite Components by Spirit Electronics w/ Marti McCurdy

 

Things We Learned This Week

•      Spirit Electronics is veteran and women owned tech company providing satellite components to Aerospace and Defense industries

•      Satellites in Low Earth Orbit – need components built to resist extreme temperatures and still function as expected when built  - Radiation Testing – stress test, thermal, pressure

•      Working with top Defense Contractors, Raytheon, Boeing, Lockhead Martin,   helping create products used in Government contracts

•      Space is on a Comeback – from SpaceX, to Blue Orbit, Space Florida & Kennedy Space Center, now let’s talk Space Junk, Satellite Crash, Launch Ops – launch at right time, right orbit, right space

•      AZ is becoming a Tech Hub: Semiconductors, Aerospace, Defense, EV, Autonomous, AZ Tech Council to Tech Incubators

 

Guest: Marti McCurdy - CEO of Spirit Electronics

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marti-mccurdy-1083a936/

 

https://www.spiritelectronics.com/about-us/

 

Marti McCurdy, owner and CEO of Spirit Electronics, is a veteran not only of the semiconductor business but also of the United States Air Force. Marti’s focus as CEO is to serve the aerospace and defense industry for high reliability components. She exercises her engineering knowledge of space qualified flows and sophisticated testing to deliver flight class devices. Throughout her career as a business owner and most recent position as VP, Marti’s goal is to bring her high standard of customer service and cultivated relationships to serve the aerospace sector she is so familiar with. Marti holds a current patent and is a published author in ultrasonic applications.

Spirit Electronics is a certified veteran-owned, woman-owned value-added distributor of electronic components. Our product lines and value-added services offer power, memory, FPGAs, ASICs–everything you need to build out a high-reliability board that can perform in even the harshest environments. Spirit builds components for satellites, used in the aerospace and defense industries.

 

Notes:

Spirit Electronics manufactures satellite components like Circuit boards

Supply chains with defense and aerospace for components

Invest idea – materials used in satellites

*Low Earth orbit of satellite, not technically space sometimes

Examples of co’s do biz with: F35 Lightning ll program plane by Lockhead Martin

Kyocera, EPC Space, Latham Industries

 

*Space EP (space enhanced plastics) – need to stress test to with stand high & low temps

 

Real World applications of satellites –

Data collection by satellites of Earth locations – ie Disney Park

Via satellite, get internet on phone while flying on a plane

5 year life span of satellites up in orbit

 

Full Show: HERE

 

 

 

 

Tech Topic:

https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Tech-Startup-VC-Cybersecurity-Energy-Science

 

Best of Tech:

https://brt-show.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=best+of+tech

 

 

Investing Topic:

https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Investing-Stocks-Bonds-Retirement

 

 

‘Best Of’ Topic: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Best+of+BRT

 

 

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The show where Entrepreneurs, Top Executives, Founders, and Investors come to share insights about the future of business. 

AZ TRT 2.0 looks at the new trends in business, & how classic industries are evolving. 

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