SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Friday morning, marking the company’s historic first day as a publicly traded business on the Nasdaq stock market.
Liftoff occurred at 8:37 a.m. EDT on June 12, 2026, as SpaceX shares began trading under the ticker SPCX at $135 per share. The mission, designated Starlink 10-54, represents the 650th Falcon 9 flight to date and the 68th launch of the workhorse rocket in 2026.
The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, tail number B1080, completed its 27th mission before landing on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean, about 8 minutes and 19 seconds after liftoff. This marked the 155th landing on that vessel and the 623rd successful booster recovery for SpaceX.
SpaceX announced Friday morning that its IPO would raise $75 billion, the largest in history, with the company priced at a valuation of $1.77 trillion. The offering consisted of 555.6 million shares sold at $135 each, with all proceeds going to the company. According to Spaceflight Now, the Starlink connectivity business generated about $2 billion in income in 2024 and $4.4 billion in 2025, making it a key driver of SpaceX’s overall revenue.
The timing of the launch—less than an hour before the opening of Nasdaq trading—underscored the symbolic weight of the moment. SpaceX, founded in March 2002, has spent more than two decades developing reusable rocket technology and building out its Starlink internet constellation of over 10,500 satellites in orbit.
SpaceX is betting heavily on its next-generation Starship-Super Heavy rocket to expand its business. The company completed its 12th Starship test flight in May and has stated its intention to begin deploying Starlink V3 satellites in the back half of 2026. According to its SEC filing, SpaceX spent approximately $3 billion on Starship research and development in 2025 and $930 million in the first three months of 2026.
Sources
- Spaceflight Now — launch details, booster recovery information, company valuation, and Starlink revenue figures
- Florida Today — live launch updates, weather forecast, booster mission history, and launch window details
- Reuters — IPO pricing and valuation confirmation
- Forbes — company valuation at $1.77 trillion
