Elon Musk confirmed on Thursday night (December 11) on the social media platform X that the reports about SpaceX planning to go public for the first time in 2026 through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) are “accurate”. This news immediately drew high market attention, and if successful, it would be the largest IPO in history.
Senior space editor Eric Berger from the American technology news website Ars Technica shared his latest article titled “Why is SpaceX going public now after years of resistance?” on the social platform X, and pointed out: “The rapid development of artificial intelligence and the business opportunities in space data centers are the reasons I believe SpaceX is going public.”
Berger’s analysis in the article states that Musk needs to raise a substantial amount of capital in the next 18 months for SpaceX’s projects in artificial intelligence, robotics, and space data centers.
Musk directly replied to the post, saying, “As always, Eric is correct.”
Musk also reiterated this week that “satellites with on-board AI computing will become the lowest-cost way to transmit AI-generated data streams within three years.”
In recent weeks, mainstream media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The Information, and others have continuously reported on SpaceX actively preparing for a 2026 IPO.
Bloomberg further reported this week that SpaceX is advancing its 2026 IPO plan with a valuation target of around $1.5 trillion, with the listing possibly happening in the middle to late 2026 or potentially being delayed to 2027. If SpaceX raises more than $30 billion, it will surpass Saudi Aramco’s record-breaking IPO of $29.4 billion in 2020 (originally $25.6 billion, later increased to $29.4 billion due to oversubscription).
Axios previously reported that SpaceX has officially notified investors of its IPO plans. With a $1.5 trillion valuation upon listing, its size would only be second to Open AI, making it the second-highest valued unicorn company globally.
Media reports suggest that SpaceX’s most recent internal secondary market share sale has pushed the company’s valuation to around $800 billion. However, Musk clarified on the X platform over the weekend that the $800 billion valuation is “not accurate”.
He also emphasized that contracts from NASA make up less than 5% of SpaceX’s revenue next year. Musk stated, “Starlink is actually our main revenue source. Claims that SpaceX is ‘subsidized’ by NASA are entirely false.”
At the same time, Musk will have a significant ally at NASA. On December 9, Jared Isaacman was voted by the Senate committee and is pending full Senate confirmation to become the new NASA administrator.
Isaacman, a finance company owner and billionaire, has privately funded two manned space missions (Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn) by SpaceX in 2021 and 2024, traveling to space.
SpaceX is one of NASA’s primary contractors, but Acting Administrator and Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, publicly criticized SpaceX for significant delays in the Artemis lunar program. Musk then fiercely criticized Duffy on the X platform, accusing him of “trying to suffocate NASA!”
Previously, Isaacman’s initial nomination was withdrawn earlier this year by former President Trump due to close ties with Musk, citing “conflict of interest.” He was re-nominated in early November, indicating a complete reconciliation between Trump and Musk, followed by Musk being invited to a White House dinner.