Shares of space-focused companies rallied sharply on Wednesday after reports suggested that Elon Musk’s SpaceX may move ahead with an initial public offering (IPO) as early as this week.Satellite firm AST SpaceMobile and Rocket Lab surged 10%, while Firefly Aerospace jumped 16%. York Space Systems also saw gains of around 5% amid the IPO buzz.
According to reports, SpaceX is exploring an IPO that could eclipse previous records, with discussions pointing to a fundraising target in the range of $70 billion to $75 billion.
That would exceed earlier estimates and dwarf the $29 billion listing of Saudi Aramco in 2019, currently the world’s largest IPO.The company is said to be targeting a June listing, although timelines remain fluid. A confidential filing could be submitted as early as this month, even as internal preparations continue and plans remain subject to change.
In terms of valuation, SpaceX could aim for more than $1.75 trillion, potentially placing it among the most valuable companies globally.The development follows its recent acquisition of xAI, a deal that valued the combined entity at about $1.25 trillion.The broader space ecosystem, including firms tied to defence and satellite technology, has been buoyed by momentum around SpaceX, policy signals such as Donald Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system, and surging demand for AI infrastructure.Rising energy consumption from rapidly expanding data centres has also sparked interest in alternative solutions, including deploying computing infrastructure in orbit.However, such ideas face major constraints, including high costs and limited launch capacity.SpaceX already runs the Starlink network, with over 9,500 satellites in orbit. Musk has also floated a far more ambitious plan involving up to 1 million satellites, though scientists have raised concerns over potential environmental and space congestion risks.If it achieves a $1.75 trillion valuation, SpaceX would rank behind only a handful of S&P 500 Index heavyweights such as Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon, and would surpass the market value of Meta Platforms as well as Musk’s own Tesla.
