Orbital Infrastructure
The speculative frontier: lunar landing, earth observation and the platforms in between.
Investor angle
These are higher-risk, higher-upside names tied to government contracts and unproven markets. Position size accordingly; a single program win or loss can move them sharply.
Why money flows here
Once you can reach orbit cheaply, you build on it — lunar landers, observation constellations and on-orbit platforms. Government and defense orders, including Golden Dome, can flow to this layer, but it is the earliest and most speculative part of the chain.
Companies in this layer
Intuitive Machines ('LUNR') is a speculative frontier name, focused on lunar landing and cislunar infrastructure, positioning it as a beneficiary of government space initiatives. The company is evolving towards higher-margin services anchored by recurring revenue programs.
BlackSky's high-resolution imagery and AI-driven analytics cater to growing demand for real-time, space-based intelligence, particularly from government and defense sectors. Gen-3 satellite capabilities drive significant revenue growth and margin expansion.
Satellogic ('Satle') offers high-frequency earth-observation imagery at a low cost, positioning it as a key player in the evolving space economy. The company's technology could become vital for both commercial and defense applications, including potential 'Golden Dome' security initiatives.