Space Stocks Could Soar After Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Flight: Analyst

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc (NYSE: SPCE) founder Richard Branson is set to board the VSS Unity on July 11 for the company's next suborbital flight. 

The launch is set to take place just nine days before Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos' scheduled space flight aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard.

The space race between Branson and Bezos will go a long way toward broadening investor interest and support in space companies, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said Thursday on CNBC's "Squawk On The Street."

Jonas told CNBC that what is happening in space is way bigger than one company and investors need to think long-term. 

Investors should take a venture capital mentality and expect high volatility when investing in space companies, as "this is going to affect the rest of your investment lives," he noted.

Related Link: Analyzing Virgin Galactic Hldgs's Unusual Options Activity

Additionally, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) founder and CEO Elon Musk is working on Starship and Super Heavy at SpaceX.

"Talking about space before Super Heavy and Starship is like talking about the internet before Google search or talking about autos before the Model T," Jonas said.

In regard to the combination of what's going on at SpaceX and the human space flights scheduled for Branson and Bezos, the Morgan Stanley analyst said, "Wow, just get ready, I don't even know what to say. I'm speechless and that's rare."

SPCE Price Action: Virgin Galactic has traded as high as $62.80 and as low as $14.27 over a 52-week period.

At last check Thursday, the stock was up 17.30% at $52.60.