SpaceX NASDAQ:SPCX shares were in focus Thursday ahead of the company's planned Starship test flight from its Starbase facility in Texas, marking the first launch since SpaceX went public in June, according to the company's launch schedule.
The mission will be the 13th flight of the Starship program and the second using the Version 3 Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster. A 90-minute launch window is scheduled to open at 5:45 p.m. CT from Starbase in Cameron County, Texas, on July 16.
SpaceX will also carry upgraded Starlink satellites during the test. The satellites are designed for in-flight evaluation before reentering Earth's atmosphere and burning up at the end of the mission. The company said the launch will continue testing objectives introduced during the previous flight while further evaluating the latest Starship and booster configuration.
SpaceX shares have come under pressure since the company's June 12 market debut. The stock has declined nearly 7% over the past five trading days and remains down more than 38% from its peak of $225.64, with investors closely watching Thursday's mission for further progress in the company's next-generation launch program.