SpaceX's $2T Debut: Can ASTS and Intuitive Machines Crack Nasdaq-100?

The cluster centers on a forward-looking Motley Fool piece published on October 2, 2026, which argues that two space stocks—AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) and Intuitive Machines—could join SpaceX and Rocket Lab in the Nasdaq-100 index by 2030. The thesis is built around the rapid normalization of space as a mainstream equity sector. According to the article, SpaceX debuted on public markets with the largest initial public offering in history and now carries a market capitalization of $2 trillion. Nasdaq added SpaceX to the Nasdaq-100 promptly, and Rocket Lab was also recently added. The Nasdaq-100 is composed of the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on Nasdaq, making membership a meaningful threshold for institutional and passive investors. This is a prediction piece, not a report of confirmed events. The publication is part of an investor-education and stock-picking genre that mixes analysis with promotional language. The article itself refers to 'prediction' and promotional signals. Therefore, the $2 trillion SpaceX valuation and IPO status should be treated as reported figures from the piece, not independently verified financial results. AST SpaceMobile's candidacy is the most detailed. The company is developing large satellite arrays intended to beam high-speed internet directly to mobile devices. That distinguishes it from SpaceX's Starlink service, which currently requires a dedicated antenna. If it achieves widespread coverage, the direct-to-device constellation could unlock a multi-billion-dollar revenue opportunity. The company has already formed partnerships with telecommunications operators around the world that plan to upsell the service to existing customers. The core uncertainty is technological and commercial execution—whether the satellites work as designed and when coverage reaches scale. Intuitive Machines is the second candidate named in the article, though the available source excerpts provide less detail on its specific path to Nasdaq-100 eligibility. Its inclusion alongside SpaceX and Rocket Lab suggests the authors view lunar infrastructure and related space services as another avenue for explosive market-cap growth. But absent additional data in the sources, this part of the thesis rests on the company's sector positioning rather than quantified milestones. From a market-structure perspective, Nasdaq-100 inclusion has concrete consequences. Passive funds tracking the index would likely need to buy shares, which can reduce float and amplify upside. SpaceX's immediate addition—if accurate—demonstrates that Nasdaq is willing to incorporate very large space companies quickly. Rocket Lab's recent addition shows the bar may be lowering for smaller but fast-growing space pure plays. That dynamic is important for ASTS and Intuitive Machines investors because index inclusion can re-rate a stock beyond its fundamentals, especially in a thematic sector with limited public assets. However, the distance between current market values and Nasdaq-100 entry is substantial. The article does not provide AST SpaceMobile's or Intuitive Machines' current market capitalizations, revenue, or liquidity. The Nasdaq-100 is market-cap weighted and requires high trading volume; a company probably needs to be among the 100 largest non-financial Nasdaq listings, which historically means tens of billions of dollars at minimum, and that threshold may be much higher by 2030. Both companies would need not only successful execution but also sustained investor demand to bridge the gap. The prediction is thus an optimistic scenario, not a base case. The broader space economy is in a transition from government-led programs to commercial services. Direct-to-device satellite internet is one of its most contested fronts, with AST SpaceMobile competing against SpaceX, Globalstar, and other entrants. The regulatory environment for spectrum and orbital rights remains a wildcard, especially as constellations proliferate. Investors in this niche must weigh capital intensity, launch costs, and the risk of technological delays. By 2030, the Nasdaq-100 could look very different. If AST SpaceMobile delivers a working direct-to-phone network with global telecommunication distribution, its market cap could scale significantly. If Intuitive Machines capitalizes on lunar and deep-space commercial contracts, it could also grow. But index membership is an outcome, not a strategy. The next five years will be defined by execution milestones: successful satellite deployments, commercial agreements that convert to paid subscribers, and progress toward positive cash flow. Investors should monitor those indicators rather than treating the prediction as a predetermined path. The article provides a useful framework for the space economy's expanding public-market footprint, but the leap from 'potential Nasdaq-100 candidate' to actual inclusion remains wide.