To the moon 📈

If you're reading this, you're probably curious about who I am and what this newsletter is all about. Well, you're in the right place!

As a shareholder, it's important to understand the companies we invest in. Without knowing how a company generates revenue or how its business model works, how can we feel confident about putting our hard-earned money into it, hoping it will grow in value over the long term?
To understand a business model, we may also need to look at how the industry works, how companies make money, and who their competitors are.

But it is not always easy.

And that’s completely normal because, as investors, we are not experts in every industry we invest in.

This is the main reason I created this newsletter. My goal is that with every post, you'll learn something new about the space industry.

AD LUNAM dives into the space industry and provides insights and updates on publicly traded space companies. Whether you're an investor or an enthusiast, you’ll gain valuable knowledge and better understand the space industry.

That’s me! I’m Anthony Holstein, a 19-year-old Canadian investor and aerospace engineering student.

I’ve always been passionate about space. I remember following the beginning of the Starship program in December 2018. At that time, all residents were still living in Boca Chica Village, and some shared images online in forums of what we thought was a water tower. Turns out, it was actually the first prototype, called Starhopper. I remember being hooked on 24/7 YouTube live feeds of Boca Chica. Watching Starbase being built day by day since 2018 has been surreal, with prototypes being tested (some exploding, others successfully flying), teams using one of the largest cranes to lift the launch tower in sections, and installing the massive chopsticks on the tower—all through the screen of my computer. In July 2023, I was lucky to take a road trip from Montreal to Boca Chica Beach, at the southern tip of Texas, and finally witness this gigantic place in real life. Standing at the launch site, it was inspiring to think that this could be the spot where humans will one day launch to Mars. This 8,000 km (4,971 miles) journey was an experience I’ll never forget.

Of course, SpaceX was not the only company I’ve been following. I’ve always been fascinated by those who succeed against all odds. Reaching orbit is not an easy task. For space companies, it’s like climbing the Everest. But once they reach the top, endless possibilities open up. They can start securing important contracts with private companies and agencies and have more trust by their customers. Many companies manage to succeed despite the competition and challenges. To name a few, Rocket Lab, an end-to-end space company, still private when I started following them in 2019, and Firefly Aerospace, a company that resurrected from bankruptcy and now has a lunar lander currently orbiting the moon as I write these lines.

I started my investing journey back in December 2023, at 18 and a half years old. I was looking to invest the $1,500 scholarships I received from the government of Quebec. These scholarships were given each semester to students in college and university, studying in fields with labor shortages. Instead of spending the money all at once, my first instinct was to invest it to help pay for my university tuition.

That’s how my wild financial journey kicked off!

Disclaimer: The stocks mentioned here are not recommendations or investment advice.

I installed Wealthsimple, a Canadian brokerage, and bought my first stocks—fractional shares of Apple AAPL 0.00%↑ and a few of Rocket Lab RKLB 0.00%↑ .

Three months later, in February 2024, during Intuitive Machines' LUNR 0.00%↑ first mission, I experienced FOMO, and learned my first lesson. I invested at the peak, around $10 at the time, thinking the price would rise after the lunar landing. For a moment, I was in the green, but the following months saw my investment drop by 20%, then 35%, and eventually 50%… I quickly learned the importance of managing emotions and realized that it’s better to focus on the business itself rather than the stock price.

Dollar-cost averaging paid off. I invested heavily when the price was low with several scholarships I received, bringing my average down to ~$5 for LUNR 0.00%↑ and ~$4.20 for RKLB 0.00%↑. Later in 2024, space stocks surged, but not all for the same reasons. To name a few, ASTS 0.00%↑ was the first to rise significantly after signing an agreement with AT&T in May 2024. Then, RKLB 0.00%↑ surged after successfully firing Archimedes, the engine for their upcoming "Neutron" rocket. Next, LUNR 0.00%↑ was awarded a $4.82 billion IDIQ (indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity) contract from NASA. On top of that, all these companies posted strong quarterly reports.

My portfolio went from the abyss to +500% in six months. I was lucky, but understanding the businesses I invest in kept me confident through the ups and downs. I no longer worry about daily movements, because what matters is the long-term value the companies I invest in will bring. However, I do care about my portfolio’s volatility and aim to minimize risk by increasing my ETFs allocation to stay within my risk tolerance.

Since 2024, I’ve been sharing my investing journey on Blossom, along with updates on space stocks.

After growing my community from 0 to 2,300 followers in 13 months and receiving countless comments of investors appreciating my posts, whether for my investing tips or my space stock updates, I felt ready to take the next step: launching this newsletter.

While I personally own some space stocks, I will always try to stay objective and only rely on facts. If I share my personal opinion, I will make it clear. Lastly, no post in my newsletter should be seen as financial advice.

Thank you for being part of my newsletter!