Elon Musk suddenly announces big news targeting "Space AI"! SpaceX's latest performance revealed

SpaceX’s “Profitability” Exposed.

According to the latest news, the commercial aerospace company SpaceX, owned by the world’s richest man Elon Musk, achieved revenues of $15 billion to $16 billion last year. This strong financial performance has quickly fueled market expectations for its IPO size, with investment banks estimating that SpaceX’s valuation at the time of IPO could exceed $1.5 trillion.

Meanwhile, big news has also emerged about Musk’s “Space Business Empire.” According to foreign media reports, SpaceX is evaluating multiple corporate integration plans, including a potential merger with Tesla or integration with AI company xAI. The deals may attract interest from infrastructure funds and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds. As a result, Tesla’s stock price surged sharply, with a single-day increase of over 5% during Friday trading.

Latest Performance of SpaceX Revealed

On January 30, Eastern Time, Reuters reported that, citing two informed sources, SpaceX, owned by Musk, is expected to achieve revenues of $15 billion to $16 billion in 2025, with an EBITDA of about $8 billion (approximately RMB 55.6 billion). This financial performance had not been disclosed publicly before.

Sources said that these financial figures are prompting multiple investment banks to reassess SpaceX’s IPO potential.

Currently, some banks estimate that SpaceX’s valuation at IPO could exceed $1.5 trillion, with fundraising possibly surpassing $50 billion. This valuation level would make it the largest IPO in history globally.

According to previous reports, SpaceX plans to go public later this year, targeting around Musk’s 55th birthday (June 28).

From a business structure perspective, SpaceX’s profitability is highly concentrated in Starlink.

The aforementioned sources revealed that Musk’s satellite internet system, Starlink, has become the company’s main revenue driver, contributing approximately 50% to 80% of total income.

Since 2019, SpaceX has launched about 9,500 satellites, with over 9 million users, making it the world’s largest satellite operator.

The stable cash flow generated by Starlink not only supports commercial expansion but also serves as the core funding source for SpaceX’s continued investment in heavy-lift rockets—the Starship.

Musk’s Big Moves

As the IPO window approaches, Musk suddenly announced major moves. According to Reuters, SpaceX is exploring a potential merger with Tesla and is also considering deepening strategic cooperation with Musk’s AI startup xAI. Negotiations are still ongoing.

Following this news, on January 30, Eastern Time, Tesla’s stock price surged sharply, with a single-day increase of over 5%, ultimately closing up 3.32%, while the three major US stock indices all closed lower.

Analysts pointed out that Musk is weighing how to integrate his vast business empire. If these moves come to fruition, they will integrate rocket launches, Starlink satellite network, electric vehicles, social media platforms, and generative AI technology, building a “super ecosystem” in the global tech field.

Sources revealed that SpaceX is evaluating various capital operation plans, including direct acquisition of Tesla shares or promoting a tripartite share swap merger.

Sources said that any deal could attract strong interest from infrastructure funds and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds. One person noted that the deal might also require substantial financing.

Reports indicate that Musk has not yet made a final decision, and details may still change. The involved companies may also choose to operate independently.

If merged with any of these companies, SpaceX’s IPO schedule could be affected.

Currently, Musk has not commented on the reports, and SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI have not responded to media requests for comment.

Aiming for “Space AI” Goals

Musk previously revealed that the Starship is expected to begin commercial payload launches in 2026. The rocket has completed 11 test launches since 2023.

Looking further ahead, Starship is envisioned for deploying space AI data centers. This concept is highly related to SpaceX’s proposed merger with xAI but remains in early, high-risk stages.

If technically feasible, xAI could benefit from the computing power provided by SpaceX’s in-orbit data centers. Tesla’s energy storage capabilities could also help SpaceX use space solar energy to power data centers.

Musk has also discussed using SpaceX rockets to send Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, to the Moon and even Mars. In fact, SpaceX and Tesla have already established connections with xAI.

Musk has long been dealing with overlapping business issues among his companies and has proposed various integration plans. He has stated that Tesla’s AI projects are crucial for the company’s future and has hinted at possibly transferring these businesses to xAI.

Last month, SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen said that an IPO would help fund the “crazy launch frequency” of the still-in-development Starship rocket and support future lunar base plans.

On January 29, local time, SpaceX’s Starlink announced the development of a new space situational awareness (SSA) system called Stargaze, which can significantly improve the safety and sustainability of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operations.

About an hour later, Musk reposted the news on social media, saying, “This will greatly reduce the probability of satellite collisions, thereby decreasing the hazards caused by space debris.”

It is reported that compared to traditional ground systems, Stargaze’s detection capability has increased by several orders of magnitude. The system will integrate observational data from nearly 30,000 star sensors, with each device continuously monitoring nearby space targets, capable of detecting about 30 million flyby events daily across the satellite constellation. Star sensors are the core optical sensors for spacecraft attitude determination, working by capturing star field images to provide high-precision reference data.

(Article source: China Securities Journal)