SpaceX mulls $1.5tn IPO timed to ‘align with Musk’s birthday and the planets’ | IPOs
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is considering an IPO valuing the rocket company at $1.5 trillion (£1.1 trillion), which is reportedly planned for early summer to coincide with planetary alignment and the multibillionaire’s birthday.
The world’s richest person is targeting mid-June, a symbolic date for an initial public offering, according to the Financial Times. This coincides with the time when Jupiter and Venus appear very close to each other and shortly before Musk turns 55 on June 28.
The FT also reported that SpaceX was seeking to raise $50 billion at a $1.5 trillion valuation, compared to previous reports that SpaceX was seeking $25 billion at an $800 billion valuation. It was reported last week that the rocket company was considering Bank of America, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley for leading roles in the share sale.
Musk, whose $680 billion fortune will increase with the public offering of SpaceX, said last year that the company’s annual income would be $15.5 billion and $1.1 billion of this would come from contracts with NASA. The billionaire owns approximately 42 percent of SpaceX, as well as approximately 17 percent of the electric car manufacturer Tesla, of which he is the CEO. It also owns more than three-quarters of social media platform X.
SpaceX generates revenue from the deployment of reusable rockets for missions such as launching satellites and restocking the International Space Station. It also operates the Starlink satellite high-speed internet service.
If the IPO goes ahead, it would require a larger initial fundraising than the IPO of oil company Saudi Aramco, which raised $29 billion in 2019, but its overall valuation would be $1.7 trillion higher.
The FT added that SpaceX’s chief financial officer, Bret Johnsen, has been holding talks and video conference calls with existing private investors since December to explore an IPO in mid-2026.
Musk was reportedly attracted to the idea of SpaceX’s public vehicle due to its rising valuation and the success of Starlink.
Global financial markets are expecting major U.S. listings throughout the year, with artificial intelligence companies Anthropic and OpenAI also laying early groundwork for potential IPOs.
A recovery in U.S. capital markets activity began in 2025 after three years of limited activity, partly as a result of volatility and geopolitical tensions. Analysts said space technology is a tightly held sector but is being sought after by investors willing to come forward in light of rapid development prospects.
Analyst Neil Wilson of Saxo Capital Markets said the $1.5 trillion price tag being discussed was a “monster premium.”
He added: “A valuation this big reflects not only the tech and AI premium, but also Elon Musk’s stardust and frothy market, plus a lot of media narratives about it. To some extent it’s a kind of bet on the future space economy.”
SpaceX has been approached for comment.
