Elon Musk Says SpaceX Will Try to Catch a Returning Starship This Month

SpaceX shares (SPCX) fell about 1% as investors focused on a potentially important operational milestone: Elon Musk said the company will attempt to catch the returning Starship upper stage with its launch tower on Flight 14, tentatively scheduled for late August, pending regulatory approval. The article frames this as a key test of Starship reusability, which is central to SpaceX’s cost structure and long-term valuation. Flight 13 successfully demonstrated reentry and a soft ocean splashdown, increasing confidence in the upcoming attempt. The piece also highlights that Flight 14 is expected to deliver the first Starlink V3 satellites into working orbit, reinforcing the connection between Starship progress and Starlink capacity expansion. Financially, Starlink remains SpaceX’s core profit engine, generating $4.3 billion in revenue last quarter, while the company as a whole reported $7.8 billion in revenue, a narrowed net loss of $541 million, and $100 billion in cash and marketable securities.