US Space Academy Founded: Which Space Stocks Benefit from Trump's Initiative

US President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on August 28, 2026 to establish a US Space Academy. The new military and civilian facility is to be modeled on West Point and will "develop a professional leadership cadre prepared to advance American interests in the space sphere," according to the official rationale. An eight-member commission led by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will advise the President on implementation. Funding for the Academy requires Congressional approval.

At the ceremony at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Trump announced he would select the Academy's location "very soon." The Texas congressional delegation is pushing for the institution to be located in Texas. The founding of the Space Academy is part of Trump's overarching space vision, which he describes as a "golden age" of spaceflight. In his inaugural address in January 2025, he already stated the goal: "We will pursue our destiny among the stars and send American astronauts to plant the American flag on the planet Mars."

Political space agenda drives industry optimism

Trump's space policy encompasses several ambitious goals: a crewed lunar landing by the end of his term, the return of Americans to the Moon with a target date of 2028, and a possible future crewed Mars mission. He also directed his team to drastically increase the number of commercial spaceflight launches in the US. During his first term, Trump had already established the Space Force as the sixth branch of the US military.

The multi-billion-dollar US lunar program Artemis aims for the first astronaut landing in 2028. This is to be accomplished with SpaceX's Starship rocket technology, though development has been delayed and the timeline is at risk. An alternative lander from Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin could potentially meet the 2028 deadline. China is competing with lunar ambitions for a crewed landing around 2030, based on an increasingly ambitious series of robotic missions.

Space stocks posted strong gains in 2025

Shortly after Trump took office in January 2025, noticeable market effects emerged. Space stocks recorded impressive price increases within a week. According to market observers, the rapid gains resulted in part from corporate successes such as tests, new partnerships, or fundraising rounds, but also from a general "sense of optimism effect." Early signs of a boom were evident in strong price increases of space stocks and new ETFs specifically focused on space.

A financial disclosure shows that Trump himself purchased SpaceX stock in June 2026—a few days after the company's IPO. The Periodic Transaction Report signed on August 12 and published on August 22, 2026 records a SpaceX stock purchase valued between $15,001 and $50,000, executed on June 23, 2026—just over two weeks after SpaceX stock began trading. The purchase was part of over 1,000 securities transactions Trump made in June, according to the disclosure.

SpaceX IPO broke records

SpaceX conducted the largest initial public offering in US history on June 12, 2026 with a market capitalization of $1.77 trillion. Trump's investment raises questions about the financial proximity between the President and Elon Musk's company, which as a military contractor depends on approvals from federal agencies.

A White House spokesperson told Reuters that independent third parties manage the President's portfolio and replicate recognized indices such as the Schwab 1000. According to the spokesperson, neither Trump nor any family member has the ability to determine, influence, or affect how the portfolio is invested or when investments are bought or sold.

Investment opportunities for retail investors

Since Blue Origin and Isar Aerospace are not publicly traded, retail investors currently have no way to directly invest in these companies through stock purchases. Among the most significant US-listed aerospace and space companies is Lockheed Martin. In addition, there are approximately 80 stocks of civilian and military aerospace and space companies.

Investors can invest broadly across a variety of space companies from different countries and sectors using global ETFs. According to industry sources, investments in space stocks and ETFs can be a worthwhile part of a long-term investment strategy. With Trump's plans for Mars exploration, a new era of state-sponsored programs could dawn, in which NASA and private providers work closely together. This environment enables companies involved in rocket launches, space robotics, and satellite communications to look to the future with optimism.