SpaceX targets three Thursday launches: Crew-13 to the ISS, Transporter-18 carrying 130 payloads, and the NROL-97 reconnaissance mission.
- Gene Munster forecasts 2,200 annual launches by 2030 and says achieving more than 2,000 could more than double the stock.
- Starship Flight 14 deployed 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites, adding 10 times the capacity of a Falcon 9 V2 Mini batch.
- Analyst price target hikes from UBS, CLSA, Morgan Stanley and TD Cowen imply about 34%-101% upside from current levels.
Shares of SpaceX (SPCX) are on track for a second straight monthly gain as Deepwater Asset Management’s Gene Munster says a launch boom by 2030 could more than double its share price.
SPCX stock rose 2.6% on Tuesday to $149.24, bringing September’s gain to about 3.9% after a 32.6% advance in August. The rebound followed Monday’s 2.2% decline, even as Starship reached orbit for the first time.
Munster Maps Path To SPCX Stock Double
“This is a bigger week than most investors realize for $SPCX and they’re just scratching the surface,” Munster said on X on Tuesday, pointing to Starship’s satellite deployment and three launches scheduled for Thursday.
Munster estimates SpaceX will conduct about 170-180 missions this year. His longer-term forecast calls for 2,200 annual launches by 2030. “If they get to that 2k-plus number, my guess is the stock more than doubles from here,” he said.
His forecast is considerably below CEO Elon Musk’s August ambition of more than 30 Starship launches a day by 2030. Munster applied a weekdays-only assumption to the target, estimating 6,000 launches annually and saying that SpaceX’s current activity was just 3% of that level.
Starship Delivers Starlink Capacity Boost
Monday’s Starship Flight 14 reached orbit and deployed 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites, marking a milestone for the rocket’s role in expanding SpaceX’s broadband network. The flight was shortened after an engine shutdown, although it completed the satellite deployment before a controlled Pacific splashdown.
SpaceX says each V3 satellite adds about one terabit per second of capacity. The 26-satellite batch represents about 10 times the capacity added by a single Falcon 9 launch carrying V2 Mini satellites. The company said the satellites would raise their orbits and undergo checks before potentially serving customers within weeks.
SpaceX Lines Up A Thursday Triple
SpaceX’s Thursday schedule spans crew transportation, commercial satellite deployment and national security. NASA’s Crew-13 mission is targeting an 11:10 a.m. ET launch from Florida, carrying four crew members to the International Space Station.
A second Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch Transporter-18 from California. SpaceX lists 130 payloads for the rideshare mission, including small satellites, hosted payloads and orbital transfer vehicles. A Falcon Heavy is also targeting Thursday night for the NROL-97 reconnaissance mission from a different Florida launchpad, according to the mission schedule.
AI Growth Fuels SPCX Analyst Forecasts
Analysts are also looking beyond launch activity to SpaceX’s connectivity and AI businesses. UBS expects third-quarter revenue of $13.8 billion and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $7.5 billion, above consensus estimates. Its forecast reflects rapid AI growth, a projected 59% year-over-year increase in connectivity revenue and higher launch activity.
However, UBS estimates quarterly capital expenditure of $19.3 billion and cash burn of $13.2 billion as SpaceX expands. Its ‘Buy’ rating and $210 target imply 41% upside from Tuesday’s close.
Meanwhile, CLSA initiated coverage with an ‘Outperform’ rating and a $250 target, implying a 68% upside. The firm sees Starship underpinning a business model that links launch capabilities with connectivity and AI, creating reinforcing revenue and capital flows.
Morgan Stanley retained an ‘Overweight’ rating and $300 target, implying a massive 101% upside. It graded Flight 14 a B+, praising the orbital milestone while flagging recurring propulsion issues. The firm said a future ship catch could become a major stock catalyst.
TD Cowen initiated coverage with a ‘Buy’ rating and $200 target, implying approximately 34% upside. It expects AI compute leasing to account for about 60% of SpaceX revenue in 2027 and forecasts nearly 1,000 low-Earth-orbit launches by 2031, alongside 62% compound annual revenue growth from 2026 to 2031.
How Do Retail Traders Feel About SPCX?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for SPCX jumped to ‘bullish’ from ‘neutral’ levels a week ago amid a 74% jump in 24-hour message volumes.
One user said, “$SPCX The longer the price builds around 150 the more likely it will become a reliable support zone going forward. I don't mind a bit back and forth now before it rockets higher to 200.”
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Another user said, “$SPCX Starship got to orbit with engine failures and delivered a full payload in orbit - and you're bearish??”
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SPCX stock has declined 7% year-to-date.
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