Elon Musk reiterated on Tuesday the importance of solar energy for the future, while cryptocurrency punters bet on how many Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) Starship launches would successfully land in space.
Polymarket Wagers On Space Exploration
Polygon (CRYPTO: POL)-based Polymarket assigned a 40% chance that fewer than five launches will succeed in 2026, down from 56% a week earlier.
There was a 28% chance of 5–6 successful launches, and a 14% chance of 7–8 succeeding.
Over $470,000 has already been wagered on the outcome. The launch counts as successful if Starship lifts off and climbs at least 62 miles above sea level between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31.
The ‘Mishap’ Of V3
Note that SpaceX launched its upgraded Version 3 Starship in May. The upper stage had a successful flight, released 20 test satellites and splashed down safely. The Super Heavy booster, however, had engine failures during its return.
Because the booster crashed hard rather than performing a controlled descent, the Federal Aviation Administration classified it as a mishap and is overseeing an investigation. Flights are suspended until the investigation concludes.
Musk’s Grand Plans
Starship is central to Musk’s plan to expand SpaceX’s spaceflight capacity and eventually send humans to Mars. The space technology giant has spent more than $15 billion developing Starship.
Musk, meanwhile, continued to tout the untapped potential of solar energy, saying, “It is humbling to consider that if we harness just 1 millionth of the Sun’s power for AI, that will be much more than a million times the intelligence of all of humanity.”
Price Action: SpaceX stock rose 2.06% in after-hours trading after closing 4.83% higher at $201.80 during Monday’s regular trading session.
Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings show SpaceX stock leading in price performance across short-, medium- and long-term horizons.
Photo Courtesy: Frederic Legrand – COMEO on Shutterstock.com
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