NEW YORK, July 26, 2026, 12:05 EDT — U.S. markets have ended trading.
- SpaceX ended the week at $115.07, falling 7.2% over the five days and trading 14.8% under its IPO level.
- Starship Flight 13 successfully released 20 V3 satellites and achieved better reentry results. However, five booster engines did not relight.
- As many as 911.5 million shares may be eligible for sale starting August 6, which is 1.41 times the current public float as of Friday.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. NASDAQ:SPCX starts Monday trading with an upgraded rocket but a lower share price. Shares closed the after-hours session at $113.37, falling 1.5%, roughly an hour following the conclusion of Starship Flight 13.
The response indicates that launch momentum is not driving short-term prices. The availability of shares and how traders are positioned are having greater influence.
Ortex Technologies estimated that around 360 million shares were out on loan as of Tuesday, amounting to about 56% of the free float. While this metric covers more than just settled short interest, it highlights the significant amount of limited stock that is committed.
The amount available may increase further. As many as 911.5 million restricted shares could become available following the earnings report. The public float was 646 million shares as of Friday. However, being eligible does not guarantee that holders will sell.
SpaceX ended trading on Friday at $115.07, falling 2.7% for the session. The stock declined 7.2% for the week and remains 49% under its intraday high reached in June.
Other publicly traded space companies declined as well on Friday. SpaceX, however, continued to underperform throughout the entire week.
| Company | July 24 close | Friday move | Weekly move* |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpaceX NASDAQ:SPCX | $115.07 | -2.7% | -7.2% |
| Rocket Lab NASDAQ:RKLB | $63.91 | -8.7% | -5.5% |
| AST SpaceMobile NASDAQ:ASTS | $56.20 | -5.0% | -2.8% |
Weekly shifts are based on the closing prices from July 17 and July 24.
Flight 13 started at approximately 6:50 p.m. EDT on Friday. Starship deployed 20 improved Starlink V3 satellites into a suborbital trajectory. The satellites made a short connection with SpaceX’s constellation of nearly 10,000 satellites in orbit.
The upper stage traversed the atmosphere, showing minimal visible damage to its heat shield. It then rotated to an upright position and landed in the Indian Ocean. The event represented an advance toward routine reusability.
The booster performed below expectations. Five engines did not relight, which caused Super Heavy to descend at excessive speed before hitting the ground. SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot stated it came back “with quite a bit of velocity still.” Reuters
As a result, investors gained some reassurance but no definitive outcome. Flight 13 failed to achieve either regular orbital missions or complete reusability. These benchmarks are important, with SpaceX intending to launch functional V3 satellites before the end of the year.
The financial strategy extends past launch activities. SpaceX stated that funds from any IPO would support AI computing, new launch infrastructure and expanding satellite networks. Delivery of Starship is thus tied to multiple areas of the capital strategy.
Short sellers continue to hold their positions. According to Ortex, their unrealized gains reached $15.5 billion as of Tuesday. “There is no sign of short sellers taking profits on SpaceX,” co-founder Peter Hillerberg stated. “If anything they are leaning in harder.” Reuters
The next official assessment is set for August 4. SpaceX is scheduled to announce its second-quarter results after market close, with a webcast to follow at 4:30 p.m. EDT. The initial major share tranche may become available two trading days afterwards.
Prior to that, additional operational details will be released to investors. SpaceX plans a Starlink launch from California on July 28. The NROL-95 mission for national security is due to launch from Florida on July 30. Launch schedules remain subject to change.
The focus on Monday is clear-cut: will a smoother Starship launch boost shares beyond Friday’s $115.07 finish? If shares fail to stay above this mark, the supply surplus would remain dominant.
Risks are balanced on both sides. Additional Starship delays, disappointing Starlink figures, or insider share sales could increase losses. Conversely, heavy short interest might trigger a sharp bounce if there is positive news.
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