SpaceX (SPCX) Stock Slips 1.36% to $152.71 Despite $946 Million NASA Crew Contract Extension
Key Takeaways
- •NASA awarded SpaceX a $946 million contract modification covering three additional astronaut missions (Crew-15, Crew-16, and Crew-17), lifting the Commercial Crew program to 17 flights with a cumulative value of $5.92 billion through 2030.
- •SPCX shares fell 1.36% to close at $152.71 on Friday, with the six-day postponement of Starship Flight 14 to September 28—still awaiting regulatory approval—contributing to the negative price action.
- •SpaceX posted second-quarter revenue of $7.81 billion, a 91.9% year-over-year increase, and a quarterly loss of $0.09 per share that was narrower than the $0.26 loss analysts expected.
- •Wall Street sentiment remains net positive, with 26 Buy, eight Hold, and seven Sell ratings and a consensus price target of $221.42, implying about 45% upside from Friday's close.
- •Technically, SPCX trades above its 50-day moving average near $134.69 within an ascending triangle pattern, with $200 flagged as a potential breakout level after the stock climbed from roughly $104.60 in August.
Shares of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (ticker: SPCX) closed Friday's trading session at $152.71, a decline of 1.36%, despite a series of corporate developments that included a nearly $1 billion contract award from NASA. The stock fluctuated between $149.93 and $156.60 during the session and continues to trade at a considerable premium to its 2026 low of $104.83.
The downward move came despite positive news from NASA, which granted SpaceX three additional astronaut transportation missions under its Commercial Crew program. The contract modification adds $946 million to the company's order book.
According to NASA's announcement, the newly awarded missions are Crew-15, Crew-16, and Crew-17. The expansion brings SpaceX's total mission count under the program to 17 flights.
$SPCX WINS $946M NASA AWARD FOR THREE MORE CREW MISSIONS
NASA awarded SpaceX three additional astronaut flights to the International Space Station covering Crew-15, Crew-16 and Crew-17.
The missions will run through 2030 and include launch, in-orbit operations, return,… pic.twitter.com/9MZHQyscTX
— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) September 18, 2026
The expanded agreement encompasses a comprehensive set of services, including ground operations, launch execution, in-orbit operations, spacecraft return recovery, cargo delivery, and emergency evacuation capabilities. NASA confirmed that the program's cumulative value now reaches $5.92 billion.
The agreement runs through 2030, with mission readiness targets set for 2027 and 2028. SpaceX initially earned NASA certification for crewed spaceflight operations in November 2020.
Contract Extension Strengthens SpaceX Revenue Pipeline
The contract addition follows SpaceX's disclosure of $7.81 billion in second-quarter revenue, a figure that represents a 91.9% increase over the prior-year period, based on MarketBeat data. The company posted a quarterly loss of $0.09 per share, which was narrower than the $0.26 loss analysts had expected, though SpaceX continues to operate with negative earnings per share.
Institutional investment activity persists as well. Corient Private Wealth established a fresh position valued at approximately $5.09 million by acquiring 29,814 SPCX shares during the second quarter.
MarketBeat data shows 26 analysts recommending Buy, eight rating Hold, and seven advising Sell. The consensus price target sits at $221.42, implying approximately 45% upside from Friday's closing price.
Upcoming Starship Mission Captures Investor Attention
Market participants are now turning their attention to Starship Flight 14. SpaceX recently adjusted the target launch date from September 22 to September 28, pending final regulatory authorization.
The mission aims to achieve Starship's inaugural orbital flight. Current flight plans call for approximately six complete Earth orbits over a mission duration approaching 10 hours. The flight profile also includes the deployment of 26 Starlink V3 satellites, each of which delivers one terabit per second of network throughput capacity.
The six-day schedule adjustment contributed to Friday's negative price action. SpaceX has not issued a public statement explaining the launch date modification.
From a technical analysis standpoint, Invezz highlighted an ascending triangle formation on the two-hour timeframe chart and confirmed that SPCX is trading above its 50-period moving average, with $200 identified as a potential breakout threshold. The stock has appreciated from approximately $104.60 in August to current levels above $150. The 50-day moving average currently stands near $134.69, according to MarketBeat.
Looking ahead, the September 28 Starship launch represents the nearest scheduled milestone for market observers. SpaceX emphasizes that mission execution remains contingent upon receiving regulatory authorization.
