Space stocks including AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS), Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB), Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ: LUNR), and Firefly Aerospace (NASDAQ: FLY) headed into August’s final session eyeing solid monthly gains.

The momentum comes as Washington added a major workforce initiative to its already aggressive push for American space dominance, drawing high-profile support from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating a commission to design a proposed United States Space Academy, with Musk responding to the White House announcement on X with two rocket emojis.

The NASA-led academy would train astronauts, scientists, engineers, operators, entrepreneurs, civil servants, and military personnel to support America’s rapidly expanding space ambitions.

The presidential commission, chaired by the NASA administrator, includes representatives from the Pentagon, Air Force, White House, and other federal agencies, and has 120 days to deliver its recommendations.

Within that window, the commission must propose the academy’s governance structure, curriculum, admissions requirements, graduate service obligations, permanent location, and full implementation strategy.

“American superiority in space depends on the strength, skill, and character of those who explore, secure, and build the industries critical to it,” the executive order stated.

The academy initiative follows Trump’s August memorandum targeting more than 1,000 U.S. launches and reentries annually by 2030, a pace that amounts to nearly three missions per day.

That policy directs agencies to accelerate permitting, identify additional launch sites, improve range scheduling, encourage private investment in infrastructure, and calls on NASA to facilitate commercial transportation to the Moon and robotic access to Mars.

Through August, LUNR jumped 24%, SPCX gained 22%, and FLY rose 10%, while ASTS climbed 3% and RKLB edged 1% higher on the month.

AST SpaceMobile is deploying a low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation targeting ordinary mobile phones, with roughly 60 carrier partners covering more than 3 billion potential subscribers, making it heavily reliant on third-party launch providers.

Rocket Lab completed its 93rd Electron flight in August and is targeting a Neutron rocket debut around year-end, with possible slippage into 2027, supported by a backlog of $2.36 billion and major Space Force awards.

Intuitive Machines offers direct exposure to lunar infrastructure, carrying a $1.8 billion backlog and recently advancing a multi-satellite communications program valued at over $600 million.

Firefly Aerospace combines Alpha launches with its Blue Ghost lunar landers and is developing Eclipse medium-lift vehicles to broaden its position across the commercial and government launch market.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment was “bearish” for SPCX, ASTS, LUNR, and FLY, while RKLB traders remained “neutral,” with message volume described as “low” across most names and “extremely low” for SPCX.

Over the past year, LUNR surged 73%, RKLB gained 34%, and ASTS rose 19%, while SPCX fell 12% and FLY plunged 55%, illustrating the wide divergence in performance across the sector.