Alternatives to Varda Space Industries stock
Varda Space Industries is a privately held company, meaning its stock is not available for purchase on public stock exchanges. However, there are some publicly traded alternatives to consider.
Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab provides end-to-end space services, including the Electron rocket for small satellite launches and the Photon satellite platform. The company is developing the larger, reusable Neutron rocket for constellation deployment and national security missions.
Rocket Lab designs, builds, and sells spacecraft components, satellites, and mission services to third-party customers. It also develops a wide range of products, including spacecraft platforms, components such as solar arrays, star trackers, and reaction wheels, as well as mission design and software.
Rocket Lab has seen impressive revenue growth recently, reaching $200.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, which was up 63.5% from one year ago. The company remains unprofitable as it continues to invest heavily in the development of its Neutron rocket.
Redwire
Redwire (RDW +2.97%) was formed in 2020 through the merger of two private equity portfolio companies, Adcole Space and Deep Space Systems. The company provides space infrastructure and advanced technology solutions for government and commercial customers. Its offerings include foundational systems, components, and payloads for complex space missions.
Redwire also develops and supplies solar arrays and other deployable structures for space applications and manufactures drones and other multidomain solutions for the defense sector, thanks to its recent acquisition of Edge Autonomy. Similar to Varda, Redwire is exploring research and manufacturing solutions in microgravity environments for pharmaceutical and materials science applications.
However, while Varda develops and operates its own capsules that combine a manufacturing module with a re-entry vehicle, Redwire operates hardware on the International Space Station. In Q1 2026, Redwire's revenue reached $97 million, up 57.9% year over year. Its net loss narrowed to $76.5 million for the quarter, down from $85.5 million in Q4 2025.
Delays in U.S. government budget approvals have affected Redwire's financial performance. However, the company is reporting positive growth from international defense spending.
AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS +4.17%) is a satellite communications company that is building a space-based cellular broadband network to provide 4G and 5G coverage directly to standard, unmodified mobile phones. AST is launching a constellation of satellites, called BlueBirds, that act as floating cell towers and are designed to deliver broadband connectivity directly to consumers' regular smartphones, with no new hardware or applications required.
Instead of selling directly to consumers, AST partners with mobile network operators like AT&T (T +1.87%), Vodafone (VOD +0.95%), and Verizon (VZ +0.51%). The carriers manage marketing, billing, and customer service, and share the revenue with AST.
The company's technology is intended for a range of users, including consumers in remote areas without cellular coverage, first responders who need reliable communication during emergencies, and government and military agencies seeking secure communication services. The company remains unprofitable.
