NEW YORK, August 1, 2026, 10:05 EDT
- U.S. markets remain shut on Saturday. SpaceX finished Friday at $108.37, a decline of 3.4%.
- Of this year’s 89 Falcon 9 launches, 69 were dedicated to Starlink missions.
- Second-quarter earnings will be reported on Tuesday following the market close. Analysts expect preliminary revenue to reach approximately $6.9 billion.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp NASDAQ:SPCX launched 24 additional Starlink satellites into orbit on Friday. However, the company’s stock declined, ending the session down 3.4% at $108.37, close to its lowest point since the IPO.
The gap sends a direct signal to investors. Delivering Falcon 9 launches alone is insufficient now. SpaceX is expected to demonstrate that earnings from Connectivity can balance out substantial costs in other areas.
Falcon 9 launched from Vandenberg at 8:08 p.m. PDT. The satellites separated 61.5 minutes after liftoff. Booster B1081 achieved its 26th launch and landing.
| Measure | Starlink 17-52 | Wider context |
|---|---|---|
| Satellites carried | 24 | There are now more than 10,800 Starlink satellites operating |
| Booster reuse | B1081’s 26th use | This was SpaceX’s 643rd time landing an orbital booster |
| 2026 mission rank | 89th Falcon 9 launch | This is counted as the 90th mission for the Falcon series, which includes Falcon Heavy |
| Dedicated Starlink rank | 69th Starlink flight | Falcon 9 missions devoted to Starlink account for 77.5% of all Falcon 9 launches |
SpaceX is currently launching a Falcon 9 approximately every 2.4 days, putting the company on track for about 153 flights this year. In the past week, SpaceX completed two Starlink missions along with a classified launch.
| Mission measure | Count | Investor comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Starlink-only launches completed through July 31 | 69 | Represents 77.5% of all Falcon 9 missions |
| Other Falcon 9 launches | 20 | Accounts for 22.5% of total |
| Recent Space Force contracts | 18 | Covers 90% of this year’s flights for third-party customers |
This is the core point for investors. Around four out of every five Falcon 9 launches are dedicated to SpaceX’s own network. As a result, the number of launches reflects Starlink growth more than external customer demand.
External demand remained robust during the week. The U.S. Space Force granted SpaceX a contract for 18 launches from Vandenberg, valued at $1.6 billion. The launches are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027, indicating a price of around $88.9 million per launch.
The award comes close to equaling the 20 non-Starlink Falcon 9 launches seen this year. U.S. Space Force Colonel Eric Zarybnisky described the faster procurement process as “the speed our warfighter demands more than ever before.” Space Force
The stock showed minimal reaction. SpaceX shares dropped 5.8% over the week. The Nasdaq composite increased by 1.6%, as the S&P 500 advanced 1.0%.
| Performance | Friday | Week through July 31 |
|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | -3.4% | -5.8% |
| Nasdaq composite | up 1.0% | up 1.6% |
| S&P 500 | rises 0.7% | gains 1.0% |
SpaceX shares are at $108.37, down 19.7% from the $135 IPO price and around 52% under the $225.64 high. The company debuted on the market less than two months back.
First-quarter data show that strong launches have yet to resolve disputes over value. SpaceX’s connectivity unit was the only segment to generate an operating profit. The bulk of the company’s capital expenditure went towards AI.
| Q1 2026 segment | Revenue | Operating income/(loss) | Capital spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space | $619 million | $(662) million | $1.052 billion |
| Connectivity | $3.257 billion | $1.188 billion | $1.332 billion |
| AI | $818 million | $(2.469) billion | $7.723 billion |
Connectivity recorded an operating margin of approximately 36.5% in the first quarter. Early estimates from Visible Alpha project the second-quarter margin at 35.9%. Revenue is anticipated to be around $6.9 billion.
Trading restarts on Monday. SpaceX is due to report after Tuesday’s close, marking its first quarterly update since its IPO in June. Investors are set to focus on Connectivity margins, capital expenditure and Starship expenses rather than upcoming launch figures.
Risks: The mission on Friday took place after four days of postponements. Any Falcon malfunction, Starship budget overrun or declining Connectivity margin could hinder progress on expanding the network. Second-quarter estimates are still subject to change before Tuesday.
