SpaceX's Starship Slips to September 28 as NASA Extends ISS Flights to 2030
Published on 09/20/2026 at 20:41 | Editorial boerse-global.de
SpaceX has pushed back the fourteenth test flight of its Starship system to September 28, a week later than the September 22 date originally targeted, according to a Reuters report on Thursday. The revised schedule remains contingent on regulatory approval.
The upcoming mission is shaping up as a demanding trial for the vehicle. For the first time, SpaceX intends to send the upper stage directly into Earth orbit while simultaneously deploying satellites from its Starlink V3 generation. The flight is viewed as a critical step toward expanding the company's globe-spanning satellite constellation, with the new hardware expected to lift transmission capacity substantially. Schedule adjustments of this kind are routine for test campaigns of such complexity, allowing engineers to align technical and regulatory requirements before launch.
NASA Adds Three Crewed Missions in $946 Million Deal
The flight plan update came alongside a fresh government win. NASA awarded SpaceX a contract worth $946 million on Friday covering three additional crewed missions to the International Space Station, extending the company's astronaut flights into 2030. The total value of the program now stands at $5.92 billion.
The award cements SpaceX's standing in human spaceflight and locks in a steady stream of government revenue well into the next decade. It also underscores how central the company's transport systems have become to keeping the orbital outpost supplied.
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AI Computing and Military Satellite Work Broaden the Revenue Base
Beyond launch services, specialized network offerings are taking on greater weight. Speaking at a Goldman Sachs technology conference, SpaceX chief financial officer Bret Johnsen disclosed that the company signed a contract for AI computing capacity in early September. The arrangement calls for monthly payments of $1.1 billion starting in December, equivalent to roughly $13 billion in annual revenue.
Foreign governments are tapping SpaceX infrastructure as well. Britain has spent just under $40 million on satellite services from the company, making it the first country outside the United States to publicly confirm use of the Starshield system for military and intelligence purposes.
Commercial Push Reaches Europe
SpaceX is also widening its commercial footprint. The company's Starfall program has now entered the European market, adding a revenue stream that sits apart from state space missions and deepening ties with logistics partners internationally.
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Analysts Split on the Stock
Opinion on Wall Street is far from uniform. Pivotal Research initiated coverage on September 8 with a Buy, or Strong Buy, rating and a $220 price target, betting on further growth. China Merchants took the opposite view on September 11, opening coverage with a Sell recommendation and a $118 target — a spread that highlights how differently market watchers assess the company's ambitious space projects and their commercial execution.
Shares closed Friday at EUR 132.70, down 1.6% on the day. Even after that pullback, the stock is up 11% over the past 30 days, with Tuesday's test flight — now set for September 28 — potentially providing fresh direction for the trading session ahead.
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