All 33 Raptor engines fired at liftoff, the vehicle reached space, and it deployed 20 Starlink mass simulators even after losing one of its upper‑stage engines.

Firefly Aerospace stock is showing exceptional strength. What’s driving FLY stock higher? SpaceX's Starship V3 Test Flight Ignites Sector Momentum According to the user‑provided details, SpaceX managed to pull off a rough but ultimately successful test of its upgraded Starship V3 on Friday. All 33 Raptor engines fired at liftoff, the vehicle reached space, and it deployed 20 Starlink mass simulators even after losing one of its upper‑stage engines. Engineers also sent two functional Starlink satellites equipped with flashlights to capture footage of Starship's heat shield during separation, a key step in proving the rocket's reusability. IPO Prospectus Fuels Broader Space Enthusiasm The test flight landed just days after SpaceX publicly filed for what could become the largest IPO in history. The company is reportedly seeking up to $75 billion in fresh capital at a valuation that could approach $2 trillion. Prediction markets are treating a June listing as highly likely, with a Nasdaq debut expected around June 12 under the ticker SPCX. The filing also confirmed that SpaceX's growth plan is "highly dependent on Starship," the same rocket that just completed its V3 test. Sector Sentiment Lifts Firefly Prediction markets are even assigning a 21% chance that SpaceX launches a crewed Starship mission to Mars before 2030, underscoring how ambitious the company's long‑term vision is and how much optimism is flowing into the space sector. FLY Shares Are Jumping FLY Price Action: Firefly shares were up 24.06% at $61.41 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro. Image: T. Schneider/Shutterstock

Future spacecraft could use a single propellant to perform both rapid movements and slow, highly controlled adjustments.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes fell on Tuesday as a rebound in technology shares faded.

Alphabet entered a cloud service agreement with SpaceX to pay $920 million per month for 200 megawatts of capacity from October 2026 through June 2029.