SpaceX stock in focus as Falcon 9 sets 36th launch record, Starlink deploys 1,589 satellites in H1 2026

By Pras Subramanian, Senior Reporter Thu, July 9, 2026 at 8:32 AM PDT | 2 min read

SpaceX (SPCX) stock was in focus on Thursday after the company achieved two major launch milestones, offering investors a positive development following a rough stretch for the stock.

Record-Breaking Falcon 9 Launch

Early Thursday, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 booster for a record-breaking 36th time, lifting off from Cape Canaveral with 29 Starlink broadband satellites bound for low Earth orbit.

The booster, designated B1067, first flew in June 2021 on a NASA cargo mission and has since carried the Crew-3 and Crew-4 astronaut missions, along with 24 batches of Starlink satellites. The overall reuse record belongs to NASA's space shuttle Discovery, which flew to orbit and back 39 times.

Starlink Deployment Accelerates

The launch coincided with data showing the Starlink business is outpacing its own record from 2025. According to launch data compiled by astronomer Jonathan McDowell:

• 1,589 Starlink satellites deployed in the first half of 2026 (up from 1,489 at the same point last year)
• 3,180 Starlink satellites deployed in all of 2025
• More than 12,400 satellites launched since the constellation began
• Nearly 11,000 still operational
• More than 10,700 currently active in orbit

Stock Performance

The operational milestones come as SpaceX stock attempts to recover from a difficult period. Though flat on Thursday:

• Shares hit an all-time low of $145.20 on Wednesday
• Closed at $149.29, below the $150 market debut price
• Inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 (^NDX) failed to generate the index-tracking buying some investors expected

Current price: $150.41 (+2.15, +1.45%) as of 11:42:31 AM EDT

Broader Context

The launch was the 80th Falcon 9 mission of the year, with roughly 80% of SpaceX's 2026 flights dedicated to expanding Starlink — already by far the largest satellite network ever assembled.

SpaceX's records come as Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos's rocket venture, reportedly raised $10 billion at a $130 billion valuation in its first outside fundraise. However, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket remains grounded after exploding during a static engine test earlier this year, destroying the company's only launch pad — underscoring SpaceX's current lead in rocket and launch capabilities.

Analyst Commentary

On Wednesday, William Blair analyst Louie DiPalma raised his outlook for SpaceX's rocket business following the Blue Origin fundraise:

"When taking into account updated [Blue Origin] valuations, we now estimate that SpaceX's rocket launch business is worth $546 billion, up from our prior estimate of $300 billion."

DiPalma maintained the firm's Outperform rating on the stock. While William Blair does not set a formal price target for SpaceX, the firm's "base" valuation implies a $220 price objective.

Pras Subramanian is Lead Transportation Reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on X and Instagram.

Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market