The mission aims to return and catch the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage, a crucial factor in rocket reusability.
- SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Flight 15 mission from Starbase, Texas, with a 75-minute launch window opening at 5:45 p.m. ET on Friday.
- Bloomberg reported that the two companies could make a merger announcement by December or early 2027.
- Texas Attorney General-elect Nathan Johnson has reportedly pledged to closely scrutinize the potential merger between SpaceX and Tesla.
Morgan Stanley believes SpaceX’s (SPCX) upcoming Starship Flight 15 could mark one of the biggest catalysts in the company’s history, as Elon Musk’s space firm prepares to attempt the first recovery of both stages of its massive Starship rocket.
Analyst Adam Jonas reiterated an ‘Overweight’ rating and $300 price target, calling a successful catch “one of the most significant potential catalysts in SpaceX’s nearly 25-year history,” according to The Fly.
SPCX shares were trading 1.4% lower at the time of writing.
Why Flight 15 Is Key For Starship Reusability
SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Flight 15 mission from Starbase, Texas, with a 75-minute launch window opening at 5:45 p.m. ET. The mission aims to return and catch both the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage. However, according to the company, the regulatory approval for the mission is still pending.
Starship is expected to complete 14 orbits around Earth in over 22 hours before attempting its return. The mission will also deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites.
A successful double catch would be a major step toward making Starship fully reusable, potentially reducing launch costs and allowing more frequent missions. Elon Musk previously set a target of 10,000 Starship launches annually by 2030.
Earlier, Pivotal Research said SpaceX’s long-term investment case depends on achieving 20 to 50 flights per vehicle, with quick, inexpensive refurbishment between launches. The firm called this a “single admittedly massive engineering bottleneck.”
SpaceX-Tesla Merger Faces Regulatory Scrutiny
Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General-elect Nathan Johnson has pledged to closely scrutinize any potential merger between SpaceX and Tesla (TSLA), according to a Bloomberg report on Friday.
On Thursday, Bloomberg reported that the two companies are advancing merger discussions, with an announcement possible as early as December or in early 2027. Musk previously confirmed that both companies had formed independent board committees to evaluate a combination.
Retail Turns ‘Neutral’ On SpaceX
Retail sentiment surrounding SPCX on Stocktwits turned ‘neutral’ from ‘bullish’ over the past 24 hours. Retail was divided on the implications of the merger for SpaceX shareholders.
One user noted that a merger could be bad for SPCX investors.
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Another user said the merged company’s stock price would be $500 in a bear case.
View this Stocktwits post
The stock is up 2.2% over its IPO price of $135.
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