Space Exploration Technologies Corp. more than doubled its quarterly revenue to 14.6 billion dollars and swung to a multi-billion-dollar net profit in the third quarter of 2026, driven by soaring returns from artificial intelligence operations and the continued expansion of the Starlink satellite internet network, according to financial figures published on October 20, 2026.
Quarterly Revenue Surges to 14.6 Billion Dollars
- Total quarterly revenue surged 161% year-over-year to 14.6 billion dollars, up from 5.6 billion dollars in the third quarter of 2025, according to Beursduivel.be.
- The company posted a net profit of 4.4 billion dollars, reversing a net loss of 1.1 billion dollars from the same period a year earlier.
- Adjusted EBITDA rose 306% to 8.8 billion dollars, while total capital expenditures climbed to 19.6 billion dollars due to heavy AI infrastructure investments.
Super Intelligence Revenue Jumps 830 Percent
The company’s Super Intelligence division—which houses its AI computing capacity, cloud services, and models such as Grok—posted the steepest gains. As Beursduivel.be reported, division revenue jumped 830% year-over-year to 7.6 billion dollars. This acceleration was fueled by fresh cloud contracts, increased utilization of Grok, and the integration of AI-coding firm Cursor.
SpaceX officially finalized the acquisition of Cursor on August 14, 2026, at an implied valuation of 60 billion dollars. While the Super Intelligence segment generated an operational profit of 431 million dollars, that figure absorbed 1.2 billion dollars in stock-based compensation costs stemming directly from the Cursor transaction. Meanwhile, the company expanded its total AI computing infrastructure to 1.7 gigawatts, stepping up from 1.4 gigawatts at the close of June.
Starlink Subscribers Reach 13.6 Million
Starlink, anchored within the connectivity division, continued its steady climb. Division revenue grew 69% to 5.2 billion dollars, generating an operational profit of 2.4 billion dollars—a 99% increase on an annual basis. Consumer subscribers reached 13.6 million, marking an addition of 1.6 million users over the course of the quarter. Average revenue per user edged up 5% to 69 dollars per month, while commercial aviation deployments expanded to more than 3,800 aircraft.
To further solidify its wireless ambitions, SpaceX struck an agreement on October 8, 2026, to acquire 800 MHz spectrum licenses. That transaction is slated for formal completion during the first half of 2027 and is designed to support the rollout of the Starlink Mobile strategy.
Starship Mission Offsets Space Division Losses
In contrast to the software and connectivity units, the traditional space launch division experienced tighter margins. The space segment brought in 1.8 billion dollars in revenue, representing a modest 6% increase from the prior year. The unit posted a small operational loss driven by elevated research and development expenditures for the Starship program.
During the quarter, SpaceX completed its first revenue-generating Starship mission, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites. This payload delivered roughly ten times the downlink capacity of a standard Falcon 9 launch. The company’s order book expanded further through secured NASA International Space Station crew rotations, national security payloads, and a dedicated lunar landing contract. Management also announced plans for a new launch facility in Louisiana, targeting an inaugural flight in 2029.
| Financial Metric | Q3 2025 | Q3 2026 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $5.6 Billion | $14.6 Billion | +161% |
| Net Income (Loss) | ($1.1 Billion) | $4.4 Billion | N/A |
| Adjusted EBITDA | Unspecified* | $8.8 Billion | +306% |
| Capital Expenditures | $6.9 Billion | $19.6 Billion | Unspecified |
| Starlink Revenue | Unspecified* | $5.2 Billion | +69% |
| Super Intelligence Revenue | Unspecified* | $7.6 Billion | +830% |
