SpaceX’s Latest Launch Failure Adds Pressure to Already Sinking Stock
💡 SpaceX stock has lost nearly half its value since the IPO peak. Watch for further declines if booster failures persist. The V3 Starlink deployment improves satellite economics but depend on reusability — a risk factor highlighted in SpaceX’s own S-1 filing. Consider the stock only if you believe the company can fix the booster within a few flights; otherwise, the downside from current levels remains significant.
SpaceX successfully deployed its first V3 Starlink satellites but suffered a second Super Heavy booster failure. The company’s stock has fallen nearly 43% from its post-IPO peak, with after-hours trading dropping another 2% following the latest mishap.
What happened: SpaceX launched the first third-generation Starlink satellites on Friday during the 13th test flight of its Starship mega-rocket. The Super Heavy booster failed during a simulated landing in the Gulf of Mexico, exploding after a faster-than-expected water impact. This marks the second booster failure on a V3 Starship flight. The upper stage successfully deployed the Starlink satellites and survived a simulated ocean landing without exploding.
Who: SpaceX (the company), Elon Musk (founder and CEO), and investors who bought into the June IPO. The company operates under a “fly, fail, fix” development approach.
Tickers / sectors: $SPACEX (SpaceX stock). The stock closed at $115 on Friday, down from a post-IPO peak above $200. After-hours trading saw an additional 2% decline before paring losses. The V3 Starlink satellites represent the only profitable segment of SpaceX.
Winners / losers: Losers include SpaceX shareholders who have watched the stock drop roughly 43% since the IPO peak. The booster failures raise doubts about reusability, which the company’s S-1 filing warned would slow Starlink progress and increase costs. Winners could include Starlink customers if satellite deployment eventually scales up.
What to watch: The next Starship launch attempt and whether SpaceX can achieve a fully reusable Super Heavy booster. The company’s ability to prove reusability will directly affect Starlink’s economics and, by extension, SpaceX’s stock price. Any further delays or failures could accelerate the downward trend.
Based on reporting from techcrunch.
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Snapshot date: July 25, 2026 at 2:48 PM EDT
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Story → money map
space exploration and satellite broadband
SpaceX had a rocket engine break during a recent test launch, causing its stock price to fall significantly from its all-time high. People with money in the stock are worried that these repeated rocket crashes will make it harder and more expensive to launch internet satellites.
What changed
SpaceX suffered another Super Heavy booster landing failure during its 13th Starship test flight, extending the stock's post-IPO drawdown to over 43%.
Who wins / who loses
SpaceX shareholders and early IPO investors are losing money on the downturn, while future Starlink customers may eventually benefit if deployment scales up successfully.
Time horizon
Think in terms of the next few months.
Confidence & best fit
medium confidence · Long-term investor, Active trader
Safer theme exposure (ETFs)
Baskets that own the theme without betting on one company.
Single stocks (higher risk)
Primary = closest to the story · Peers = same industry · Second-order = knock-on effects · Avoid = looks related but may be a trap
Peer
- $ASTSWatch — track, don’t rush
Other satellite and space companies could attract investor attention while SpaceX tries to fix its rocket problems.
View $ASTS chart → · End-of-day delayed data
Options (education only)
No strikes or expiries — a framework for how traders might express the view. Options can expire worthless.
Beginners should skip options here because the stock is moving wildly based on rocket test results, making derivative trades too unpredictable.
See options-friendly brokers →Income / OppHub America angle
Not a trade tip — ways to use the insight outside the market.
- Texas local suppliers and aerospace engineering contractors tied to Starbase operations.
What would break this thesis
- SpaceX successfully lands a Super Heavy booster on the next consecutive test flight, restoring investor confidence in reusability timelines.
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