- SpaceX is reportedly preparing to file for an IPO with US regulators.
- The company could raise over £59bn ($75bn) in one of the largest listings ever.
- A valuation near £1.18tn ($1.5tn) is being discussed ahead of the float.
SpaceX is reportedly preparing to file its IPO prospectus with regulators as early as this week, setting the stage for what could become one of the biggest stock market debuts in US corporate history.
The company, founded by Elon Musk, is said to be targeting a fundraising of more than £59bn ($75bn). Reports suggest that individual investors could receive an allocation exceeding 20 per cent, although the final structure is still being worked out.
The move comes as interest in space-related companies appears to be picking up again. Shares in listed peers have seen gains, with Rocket Lab, Planet Labs and AST SpaceMobile all rising by around 10 per cent in recent trading in New York.
Big ambitions, bigger questions
Founded in 2002, SpaceX has grown into the largest private space company in the US, building rockets, launching missions and running its Starlink satellite internet service. Its reusable Falcon 9 rockets and the ongoing Starship programme are often seen as key shifts in lowering the cost of space launches.
The company has been linked to a potential valuation of about £1.18tn ($1.5tn), which would place it close to the record set by Saudi Aramco when it listed in 2019.
Beyond launches, SpaceX is also exploring longer-term ideas such as building orbital infrastructure, including data centres in space — a concept that has started gaining attention as demand for AI computing grows.
Karin Fronczke, who oversees global private equity investments at Fidelity Investments, reportedly said the idea of space-based data centres makes sense in the long run, but questioned whether it would be economically viable, as quoted in a news report. She added that investors are closely watching the progress of the Starship programme.
SpaceX is also expected to launch the third-generation version of its Starship rocket in April, with a payload capacity of around 100 tonnes. That development could play a role in shaping investor confidence as the company moves closer to a potential listing.
