{"id":6329,"date":"2026-08-04T22:30:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T22:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=6329"},"modified":"2026-08-04T22:30:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T22:30:07","slug":"spacexs-revenue-rises-as-its-once-soaring-stock-price-drifts-back-to-earth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=6329","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX&#8217;s revenue rises as its once-soaring stock price drifts back to Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"slug-wrap\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/business\/\">Business<\/a><br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"storytitle\">\n<h1>SpaceX&#8217;s revenue rises as its once-soaring stock price drifts back to Earth<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORYTITLE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"story-meta\" class=\"story-meta has-byline\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one-inner\">\n<div class=\"dateblock\">\n    <time datetime=\"2026-08-04T18:02:03-04:00\"><br \/>\n            <span class=\"date\">August 4, 2026<\/span><span class=\"time\">6:02 PM ET<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/time>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE-INNER\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"story-meta__two\">\n<div id=\"storybyline\" class=\"storybyline-wrap linkLocation\">\n<div class=\"bucketwrap byline\">\n<div class=\"byline-container--block\">\n<div class=\"byline byline--block byline--has-link\" aria-label=\"Byline\">\n<div class=\"byline__photo\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/815044198\/john-ruwitch\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2021\/09\/07\/jwr-pic_sq-328878fd008a849dd85d5979088334103fccc7e8.jpg?s=100&amp;c=85&amp;f=jpeg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"John Ruwitch headshot\" data-template=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2021\/09\/07\/jwr-pic_sq-328878fd008a849dd85d5979088334103fccc7e8.jpg?s={width}&amp;c={quality}&amp;f={format}\" data-format=\"jpeg\"><br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<p class=\"byline__name byline__name--block\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/815044198\/john-ruwitch\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n      John Ruwitch<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP BYLINE\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__TWO\" -->\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"STORY-META\" CLASS=\"STORY-META HAS-BYLINE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\" class=\"storytext storylocation linkLocation\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-137387\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 5736;--source-height: 3824\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5736x3824+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Faf%2F4e%2F3912ff5c4e3da13248a292d69f52%2Fgettyimages-2280563095.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5736x3824+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Faf%2F4e%2F3912ff5c4e3da13248a292d69f52%2Fgettyimages-2280563095.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"A view of the Nasdaq MarketSite after SpaceX company executives rang the opening bell to celebrate the launch of SpaceX&apos;s initial public offering (IPO) in New York on June 12, 2026.\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                A view of the Nasdaq MarketSite after SpaceX company executives rang the opening bell to celebrate the launch of SpaceX&#8217;s initial public offering (IPO) in New York on June 12, 2026.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    TIMOTHY A. CLARY\/AFP via Getty Images<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><\/p>\n<p>              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        TIMOTHY A. CLARY\/AFP via Getty Images<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In its first quarterly report since offering shares to the public, Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX announced soaring revenues and shrinking losses \u2014 but still not a profit.<\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday the aerospace and artificial intelligencecompany reported a near-doubling in revenue over the same quarter last year to $7.8 billion, beating expectations. But it logged a loss of $541 million as it poured money into its Starlink satellite communications network, spacecraft development, and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5918536-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5856424\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5856424\/spacex-goes-public-and-is-now-worth-trillions-what-happens-now\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5856424\/spacex-goes-public-and-is-now-worth-trillions-what-happens-now&quot;}\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3702x3702+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F02%2F9d%2Fb3a48bb4404b99237fdf1b1c8713%2Fe61c7908-72a2-445b-98ae-90fd9db96027.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3702x3702+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F02%2F9d%2Fb3a48bb4404b99237fdf1b1c8713%2Fe61c7908-72a2-445b-98ae-90fd9db96027.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3702x3702+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F02%2F9d%2Fb3a48bb4404b99237fdf1b1c8713%2Fe61c7908-72a2-445b-98ae-90fd9db96027.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"SpaceX goes public and is now worth trillions. What happens now?\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/podcasts\/510355\/considerthis\">Consider This from NPR <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5856424\/spacex-goes-public-and-is-now-worth-trillions-what-happens-now\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5856424\/spacex-goes-public-and-is-now-worth-trillions-what-happens-now&quot;}\">SpaceX goes public and is now worth trillions. What happens now?<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5918536-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>The company spent $18.4 billion in capital investments during the quarter, and on an earnings call founder Elon Musk sought to paint a picture of a company that is doing &#8220;very big things.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He said SpaceX is launching far more satellites into orbit than the rest of the world combined; it&#8217;s developing a satellite communications network that is quickly growing its user base and may deliver &#8220;a majority of the world&#8217;s internet&#8221; in less than 10 years; and it&#8217;s standing on the cusp of deploying a heavy lift rocket that will revolutionize launches. He said the company is planning to launch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/03\/nx-s1-5718416\/ai-data-centers-in-space-spacex-elon-musk\" target=\"_blank\"><u>orbiting AI data centers<\/u><\/a> next year.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This is not some far future, distant thing,&#8221; he said of the space data centers. &#8220;The SpaceX team is solving some of the hardest engineering problems in the history of humanity and I think the team is succeeding.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>But the company&#8217;s share price has had a bumpy ride this summer, and analysts say it could get worse.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5918536-101\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5853199\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/11\/nx-s1-5853199\/spacex-ipo-price-elon-musk\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/11\/nx-s1-5853199\/spacex-ipo-price-elon-musk&quot;}\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3525x3525+882+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8c%2F88%2Fe8d326d947a995740ad3ecc8c792%2Fap26145586504348.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3525x3525+882+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8c%2F88%2Fe8d326d947a995740ad3ecc8c792%2Fap26145586504348.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3525x3525+882+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8c%2F88%2Fe8d326d947a995740ad3ecc8c792%2Fap26145586504348.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"SpaceX&apos;s mega-rocket Starship blasts off from Starbase, Texas, on May 22. A plume of white gas extends from the bottom of the rocket, which is vertically taking off from the ground. Large clouds of white gas are on the right and left sides of the frame.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/business\/\">Business <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/11\/nx-s1-5853199\/spacex-ipo-price-elon-musk\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/11\/nx-s1-5853199\/spacex-ipo-price-elon-musk&quot;}\">SpaceX blasts off with a record-breaking $75 billion IPO<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5918536-101\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5918536-102\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5855004\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5855004\/stock-ai-spacex-ipo-elon-musk\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5855004\/stock-ai-spacex-ipo-elon-musk&quot;}\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4783x4783+1196+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F64%2F3500d0904c00af4082f7255cef03%2Fgettyimages-2277186477.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4783x4783+1196+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F64%2F3500d0904c00af4082f7255cef03%2Fgettyimages-2277186477.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4783x4783+1196+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F64%2F3500d0904c00af4082f7255cef03%2Fgettyimages-2277186477.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"SpaceX&apos;s Starship 39 rocket launches from Starbase during the 12th test flight as seen from South Padre Island, Texas, on May 22, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/g-s1-133533\/ai-explained\">Understanding AI <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5855004\/stock-ai-spacex-ipo-elon-musk\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5855004\/stock-ai-spacex-ipo-elon-musk&quot;}\">SpaceX IPO makes history as largest ever. Stock gains 19% on first day<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5918536-102\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>Shares lifted off like a rocket after the company launched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5855004\/stock-ai-spacex-ipo-elon-musk\" target=\"_blank\"><u>the world&#8217;s biggest initial public offering<\/u><\/a> \u2014 but then fell like a rock. SpaceX raised some $75 billion in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5855004\/stock-ai-spacex-ipo-elon-musk\" target=\"_blank\"><u>early June IPO<\/u><\/a>. Shares started trading at $150, and in mid-June shot to a intraday high of $225.64, but closed Tuesday at $125.33, well under the initial offering price.<\/p>\n<p>More than $1 trillion has been erased from the company&#8217;s market capitalization since the stock hit its mid-June peak. On Tuesday, SpaceX&#8217;s shares leapt more than 9% ahead of the earnings, but promptly gave much of it back in after-hours trading following the report.<\/p>\n<p>The turbulence reflects the jitters of a market that is both excited and nervous about companies that make massive investments in artificial intelligence, and unsure of how to value SpaceX, the first of as many as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/01\/nx-s1-5843199\/anthropic-ipo-filing-ai-large\" target=\"_blank\"><u>three AI giants that could offer &#8220;mega-IPOs<\/u><\/a>&#8221; this year.<\/p>\n<p>And selling pressure could mount this week. The supply of publicly tradable shares will more than double when a so-called &#8220;lockup&#8221; expires on Thursday. That has prevented SpaceX employees and other insiders from selling shares for a period following the IPO.<\/p>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n<p>This comes at a time when concern has grown about SpaceX&#8217;s valuation as a company that has big plans but remains in the red. In the first quarter, it reported a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/05\/20\/nx-s1-5812731\/elon-musk-spacex-ai-ipo\" target=\"_blank\"><u>net loss of nearly $4.3 billion<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5918536-103\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5718416\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/03\/nx-s1-5718416\/ai-data-centers-in-space-spacex-elon-musk\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/03\/nx-s1-5718416\/ai-data-centers-in-space-spacex-elon-musk&quot;}\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3002x3000+587+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcc%2Fd9%2F936554d84bcf83070ad07dfb180a%2F2026-04-datacenterspace.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3002x3000+587+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcc%2Fd9%2F936554d84bcf83070ad07dfb180a%2F2026-04-datacenterspace.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3002x3000+587+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcc%2Fd9%2F936554d84bcf83070ad07dfb180a%2F2026-04-datacenterspace.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"This collage shows photos of a SpaceX Starship spacecraft taking flight, Elon Musk, a data center in California and the International Space Station above Earth. Many of the photos are in the shapes of parallelograms or trapezoids.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/03\/nx-s1-5718416\/ai-data-centers-in-space-spacex-elon-musk\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/03\/nx-s1-5718416\/ai-data-centers-in-space-spacex-elon-musk&quot;}\">Big tech&#8217;s next move is to put data centers in space. Can it work?<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5918536-103\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5918536-104\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5917201\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/08\/02\/nx-s1-5917201\/space-x-falcon-nine-moon\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/08\/02\/nx-s1-5917201\/space-x-falcon-nine-moon&quot;}\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3075x3075+1417+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2f%2Fcb%2F6189e4a54967abb903f2fed59bca%2Fap25015230325064.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3075x3075+1417+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2f%2Fcb%2F6189e4a54967abb903f2fed59bca%2Fap25015230325064.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3075x3075+1417+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2f%2Fcb%2F6189e4a54967abb903f2fed59bca%2Fap25015230325064.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from pad 39A with a payload of a pair of lunar landers at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/space\/\">Space <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/08\/02\/nx-s1-5917201\/space-x-falcon-nine-moon\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/08\/02\/nx-s1-5917201\/space-x-falcon-nine-moon&quot;}\">Defunct part of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will slam into the moon<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5918536-104\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>SpaceX&#8217;s future plans are grandiose. Musk \u2014 who, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/tylerroush\/2026\/07\/27\/elon-musks-wealth-sinks-below-700-billion-as-spacex-rout-extends\/\" target=\"_blank\"><u>for a time at least<\/u><\/a>, became the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/12\/nx-s1-5856424\/spacex-goes-public-and-is-now-worth-trillions-what-happens-now\" target=\"_blank\"><u>world&#8217;s first trillionaire<\/u><\/a> through the IPO \u2014has said he wants to send people to the moon and Mars. Earlier this year, SpaceX acquired xAI, Musk&#8217;s startup, as part of its push towards investing in artificial intelligence. The company is also developing a reusable heavy lift rocket called Starship, but the crafthas been dogged by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/science\/delays-with-spacexs-starship-risk-nasa-moon-landing-timeline-watchdog-says-2026-03-10\/\" target=\"_blank\"><u>development delays<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Maybe more than any IPO ever, the SpaceX IPO was about hopes and dreams and not the nuts and bolts of the business,&#8221; said Cory Johnson, chief market strategist at Epistrophy Capital Research.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson said some of SpaceX&#8217;s revenue is coming from renting out computing data centers \u2014 capacity that he said is available because the company&#8217;s own AI product, Grok, has not impressed in a fiercely competitive AI market. In the short run, that revenue stream is positive. &#8220;But in the long term, that&#8217;s not as good a business as having a great large language model,&#8221; Johnson said.<\/p>\n<p>The initial rise in SpaceX&#8217;s stock price was buoyed, he believes, by retail investors who support Musk&#8217;s vision and were excited to buy a piece of the company.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At a certain point you have to decide whether you&#8217;re going to do business analysis or you&#8217;re going to break out the pompoms and root for companies. And I think that for Elon Musk, more than any CEO in recent memory, people pretend to do business analysis when what they&#8217;re doing is cheerleading,&#8221; Johnson said.<\/p>\n<p>The share price pop after the IPO was also catalyzed by the fact that the company &#8220;floated&#8221; a relatively small share of total shares \u2014 around 5% \u2014 creating a demand-supply mismatch. Several stock indexes, including the NASDAQ 100, also relaxed rules for how soon new issues could be included, further pumping up demand. (Other indexes require a waiting period of at least a year, and until the company can show profitability.)<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think this could be a period of market adjustment, of finding what is actually the right price for a share of SpaceX,&#8221; said Kathleen Curlee, senior research analyst at Georgetown University&#8217;s Center for Security and Emerging Technology.<\/p>\n<p>That could be a challenge, though, given that SpaceX&#8217;s AI efforts are &#8220;basically eating up&#8221; any profits that its satellite communications arm Starlink is creating, she said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5918536-105\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5843199\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/01\/nx-s1-5843199\/anthropic-ipo-filing-ai-large\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/01\/nx-s1-5843199\/anthropic-ipo-filing-ai-large&quot;}\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2645x2645+661+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4d%2F35%2Fa9ed46de4d5ab74fc927988ee2ea%2Fgettyimages-2227254922.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2645x2645+661+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4d%2F35%2Fa9ed46de4d5ab74fc927988ee2ea%2Fgettyimages-2227254922.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2645x2645+661+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4d%2F35%2Fa9ed46de4d5ab74fc927988ee2ea%2Fgettyimages-2227254922.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Anthropic is an American artificial intelligence (AI) company founded in 2021.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/technology\/\">Technology <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/01\/nx-s1-5843199\/anthropic-ipo-filing-ai-large\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/01\/nx-s1-5843199\/anthropic-ipo-filing-ai-large&quot;}\">AI giant Anthropic prepares to sell stock to the public, files preliminary IPO paperwork<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5918536-105\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5918536-106\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5914652\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/31\/nx-s1-5914652\/google-adds-ai-to-satellite-images-raising-fears-of-deepfakes-in-the-sky\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/31\/nx-s1-5914652\/google-adds-ai-to-satellite-images-raising-fears-of-deepfakes-in-the-sky&quot;}\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/1080x1080+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/png\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2F80%2F5ac5da414f2faee9154cf4706f1f%2Fai-generated-1x1-kharg.png\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/1080x1080+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/png\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2F80%2F5ac5da414f2faee9154cf4706f1f%2Fai-generated-1x1-kharg.png\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/1080x1080+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2F80%2F5ac5da414f2faee9154cf4706f1f%2Fai-generated-1x1-kharg.png\" data-format=\"png\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"An AI-generated image showing multiple fires on and near Kharg Island, an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/g-s1-133533\/ai-explained\">Understanding AI <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/31\/nx-s1-5914652\/google-adds-ai-to-satellite-images-raising-fears-of-deepfakes-in-the-sky\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/31\/nx-s1-5914652\/google-adds-ai-to-satellite-images-raising-fears-of-deepfakes-in-the-sky&quot;}\">Google pauses AI satellite images, after fears of deepfakes in the sky<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5918536-106\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We don&#8217;t know what the viability of these AI products will be. We don&#8217;t know if data centers will be functional in space, or worth it to put them in space,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s just a risky bet.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The fate of SpaceX post-IPO is likely something other major AI companies considering IPOs of their own, including Anthropic and OpenAI, will be watching, analysts said.<\/p>\n<p>One lesson, Johnson said, is that a small float can push up demand, but eventually gravity will tug shares downward if they are deemed overvalued \u2014 even for companies with sweeping plans at the center of the conversation about AI and its future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/131967187\/spacex\">SpaceX<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/154533231\/elon-musk\">Elon Musk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/587985823\/satellites\">satellites<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/133775819\/artificial-intelligence\">Artificial Intelligence<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/479274800\/ai\">AI<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"TAGS\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"share-tools share-tools--secondary\" aria-label=\"Share tools\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--facebook\"><button class=\"fbStorynx-s1-5918536\" data-share-facebook=\"{&quot;storyId&quot;: &quot;nx-s1-5918536&quot; }\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;share&quot;,&quot;clickName&quot;:&quot;facebook&quot;}\"><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Facebook<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--flipboard\"><button class=\"storynx-s1-5918536\" data-share-flipboard=\"{&quot;storyId&quot;: &quot;nx-s1-5918536&quot; }\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;share&quot;,&quot;clickName&quot;:&quot;flipboard&quot;}\"><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Flipboard<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--email\"><button class=\"share-tools__email-link\" data-story-id=\"nx-s1-5918536\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;share&quot;,&quot;clickName&quot;:&quot;email&quot;}\"><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Email<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"SHARE-TOOLS SHARE-TOOLS-SECONDARY\" ARIA-LABEL=\"SHARE TOOLS\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"NEWSLETTER-ACQUISITION-CALLOUT-DATA\" DATA-NEWSLETTER=\"{&amp;QUOT;NEWSLETTERID&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;MONEY&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;TITLE&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;PLANET MONEY&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;MARKETINGHEADER&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;SIGN UP FOR THE PLANET MONEY NEWSLETTER&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;FREQUENCY&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;EVERY WEEK&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;SHORTDESCRIPTION&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;THE WORLD IS CONFUSING. 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JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ECONOMICS, SENT WEEKLY.&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;CONTENTIMAGE&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/NPR.BRIGHTSPOTCDN.COM\/13\/E2\/47D3EBE64FB99C00127695E97779\/PLANETMONEYS.PNG&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;STATICMARKUPDIR&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;\/BUCKETS\/BLOGS\/MONEY\/SUBNAV.HTML&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;BRANDINGDIR&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;\/BRANDING\/SECTIONS\/MONEY\/&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;BRANDINGLINK&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/WWW.NPR.ORG\/SECTIONS\/MONEY\/&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;RECAPTCHASITEKEY&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;6LCDN9IZAAAAAOHT985BJJBZJKBJKSXDXK3GEKST&amp;QUOT;}\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"callout-end-of-story-mount-piano-wrap\" class=\"callout-end-of-story-mount-piano-wrap\">\n<!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO\" -->\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO-WRAP\" CLASS=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO-WRAP\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"END-OF-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"RECOMMENDED-STORIES RECOMMENDED-STORIES-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"END-OF-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT\" CLASS=\"RECOMMENDED-STORIES\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Business SpaceX&#8217;s revenue rises as its once-soaring stock price drifts back to Earth August 4, 20266:02 PM ET<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":6384,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6329"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6331,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6329\/revisions\/6331"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}