SpaceX's Tower Catch, a Failed Booster and a $74 Billion AI Wager
Published on 11/15/2026 at 08:20 | Editorial boerse-global.de
SpaceX pulled off a first on Tuesday: the arms of its launch tower caught the Starship upper stage as it came back from orbit, capping a flight that had lasted 22 hours. The same attempt did not go to plan for the Super Heavy booster, whose engines shut down too early and scuppered the planned recovery, according to AP.
During its time aloft the ship circled the Earth 14 times and released 26 Starlink satellites. The booster, denied its return to the pad by the premature shutdown, dropped into the Gulf of Mexico. A second account of the mission, citing Reuters, described the booster's homecoming as halted by an automatic abort, with the ship continuing its flight to orbit regardless.
A $74 Billion Bet on Two AI Sites
Two days before the launch, on Friday, SpaceX unveiled plans to sink more than $74 billion into a pair of sites for AI supercomputers. Starbase in Texas accounts for over $24 billion of the total, while Cochise County in Arizona is slated for roughly $50 billion.
The Arizona project still needs the county's approval, with a public hearing pencilled in for December. Starbase, for its part, is designed to generate its own electricity.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying SpaceX?
Kyiv Presses Its Case on Starshield
Political friction over the use of Starshield in Ukraine is mounting in parallel. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday, per Reuters, that speed restrictions remain in place along the front line and in occupied territories, hampering Ukrainian military operations. Reuters reported that the curbs interfere with intercepting fast-moving drones.
SpaceX pushed back, denying it had introduced new restrictions or altered the operation of its satellites. Reuters carried both Zelenskiy's accusation and the company's rejection.
Senators Set a Deadline
On the same day, US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons urged Elon Musk to preserve documents concerning restrictions on Starlink and Starshield in Ukraine. According to Reuters, they want written confirmation by November 30.
SpaceX at a turning point? This analysis reveals what investors need to know now.
The stock slipped 0.4% on Friday, a modest move on the day the ship reached orbit while the booster's return fell short.
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