Reaching Orbit: The Space Innovators ETF (NASA) Targets the Expanding Space Economy

How this ETF works

The Space Innovators ETF

is built to capture the companies turning space from science fiction into a real, investable industry. Actively managed, it focuses on publicly traded businesses driving everything from satellite networks and launch systems to the broader infrastructure enabling space-based connectivity and exploration.

Rather than spreading exposure too thin, the fund keeps most of its capital concentrated in firms directly tied to this ecosystem, across both U.S. and international markets. It’s a targeted way to tap into the commercial space race as it shifts from government-led missions to private-sector growth.

The strategy focuses on companies involved in areas such as satellite communications, launch systems, aerospace engineering, defense applications, and supporting technologies that enable space exploration and connectivity.

A defining feature of the ETF is its exposure to SpaceX, achieved through a special purpose vehicle structure provided by Forge, a subsidiary of Charles Schwab. This structure allows investors to gain indirect access to one of the most influential private companies in the global space ecosystem within an ETF framework, something previously unavailable in public markets.

The fund is actively managed, allowing portfolio adjustments as innovation cycles evolve and new opportunities emerge across the rapidly changing space industry. Tema applies institutional research and thematic analysis to identify companies positioned to benefit from long-term structural growth.

The ETF carries a transparent management fee of 0.75 percent. Tema absorbs transaction costs and fees associated with acquiring and maintaining SpaceX exposure, helping ensure investors face no additional hidden expenses related to the private market allocation.

Why investors should consider this ETF

The investment case for The Space Innovators ETF

is tied to the rapid expansion of the global space economy, which is forecast to nearly triple by 2035.

Growth is being driven by several powerful structural trends, including declining launch costs, expanding satellite broadband networks, increasing sovereign defense spending, and the early development of commercial space exploration.

While SpaceX remains central to many of these developments, the broader opportunity extends across a growing ecosystem of suppliers, infrastructure providers, and technology innovators. NASA aims to capture this wider opportunity set rather than focusing on a single company.

According to Yuri Khodjamirian, CFA, Chief Investment Officer at Tema ETFs:

“SpaceX stands apart as the defining company of the space economy and for good reason. But the growth in this theme is much broader and accelerating rapidly. NASA offers investors something that hasn’t existed before: a transparent, actively managed vehicle to access SpaceX alongside the full ecosystem of companies building the space economy of the future.”

The ETF may appeal to investors seeking thematic growth exposure aligned with long-term innovation trends, while also benefiting from active management capable of navigating a developing and highly specialized industry.

About the issuer

Tema ETFs builds institutional-quality ETF solutions designed for different market environments, spanning high-conviction thematic strategies, core exposures, and alternative investments. Founded in 2022, the firm is led by veterans of the ETF and global asset management industry and is backed by prominent venture and fintech investors including Index Ventures, Accel Partners, and Zinal Growth, alongside senior leaders from across financial services.

Tema’s approach emphasizes differentiated access, transparency, and institutional portfolio construction, aiming to bring sophisticated investment themes to investors through efficient ETF structures.

 

Please note this article is for information purposes only and does not in any way constitute investment advice. It is essential that you seek advice from a registered financial professional prior to making any investment decision.