SpaceX Gets Green Light for Starship Flight 13 with Live Starlink V3 Payload – Stock Near Lows Amid Operational Wins

FAA clears Starship for July 16 test carrying 20 Starlink V3 satellites, while SpaceX stock nears 52-week low amid high volatility and growing competition.

The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared SpaceX for its 13th Starship test flight, scheduled for Thursday, July 16, after closing an investigation into a May 2026 incident. The agency traced the problem to heat damaging propulsion components during ascent and misconfigured engine alarms, prompting SpaceX to adjust hardware and software on the vehicle. The 90-minute launch window opens at 17:45 Central Time, and this time the rocket will carry real payload: 20 satellites from the next-generation Starlink V3 fleet, designed to link into the existing network via high-power lasers. Earlier test flights only used simulators or modified satellites, making this the first genuine demonstration of Starship's cargo capacity.

SpaceX shares are hovering just above their 52-week low of 119.04 euros, set on Tuesday. Wednesday saw a modest recovery to 120.58 euros, a 1.11% gain, but the stock remains 38.67% below its all-time high of 194.46 euros reached on June 16. The 30-day slide stands at 27.38% (28.17% according to another measure), while the seven-day drop is 8.06%. Annualized 30-day volatility has surged to nearly 98%, and the 14-day relative strength index of around 40 suggests selling pressure is intense but the stock is not yet technically oversold.

The stock debuted on June 12, 2026 at $135 per share, rode a brief post-IPO surge, then began a steady decline. Inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 on July 7 triggered passive inflows from index funds, but that relief proved temporary. Analysts point to upcoming lock-up expirations and a stretched valuation relative to expected revenue as additional factors weighing on sentiment.

Operationally, however, the company is firing on all cylinders. On July 13 and 14, SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 missions from opposite coasts within eight hours, deploying a total of 56 Starlink satellites. The second flight marked the 600th reuse of a previously flown booster – the first-stage vehicles had already completed 15 and 28 missions respectively. The achievement underscores how routine reusability has become for SpaceX's workhorse rocket.

Starlink itself ended the first quarter of 2026 with 10.3 million paying customers. To support further expansion, SpaceX has filed with regulators to significantly enlarge its next-generation satellite fleet, a plan that depends on Starship's much greater lift capacity. But the competitive landscape is tightening: on July 10, China successfully launched and landed its reusable Long March 10B rocket, chipping away at the technological lead SpaceX once held in reusable launch systems.

The coming Starship mission will test not only the satellite deployment but also a controlled water landing of the Super Heavy booster in the Gulf of Mexico. If SpaceX can execute the modified engine ignition and a successful Raptor relight in orbit, it would validate the core technology behind its long-term strategy. The company projects that fully reusable Starship operations could cut launch costs by up to 95% compared to the Falcon 9.

For now, the stock's fate appears tied to the flight's outcome. A smooth mission with successful satellite release would reinforce the narrative underpinning SpaceX's high valuation. Any hiccup, on the other hand, would hit a stock already testing support near 120 euros – a level that, if breached, could open the door to further losses.