Dec. 10, 2025, 12:15 p.m. ET
- Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, is reportedly considering an initial public offering (IPO) for 2026.
- SpaceX has become a dominant force in the space industry through government contracts and its Starlink satellite internet business.
- Only accredited investors can now trade SpaceX shares, but an IPO would make the stock available to the public.
SpaceX, Elon Musk’s spaceflight company that regularly launches its rockets from Florida, could be going public.
Several recent reports, including from Reuters and the Wall Street Journal, have suggested that SpaceX is moving toward a public listing in 2026. That means that for the first time since its founding 23 years ago, the public would be able to directly buy SpaceX stock and participate in the rocket manufacturer’s growth.
The move would also help rank SpaceX among the most valuable companies in the United States, if not the world, according to multiple reports.
SpaceX has spent years establishing itself as a dominant force in the space industry as NASA is ever increasingly relying on commercial partnerships to fuel its astronaut space program. Musk’s company has also built up a lucrative satellite business through its Starlink venture that provides internet to millions of customers around the world.
Here’s what to know about SpaceX, and whether you’ll ever have an opportunity to invest in Musk’s rocket and satellite company.
Does Elon Musk own SpaceX? What to know about company, Florida operations
SpaceX is the commercial spaceflight company that Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, founded in 2002 and leads as the CEO.
The company, which benefits form billions of dollars in government contracts, has prominent operations on Florida’s Space Coast along the Atlantic, with a regular cadence of launches from both NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and the nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 – the most active rocket in the world – is most commonly used to deliver to space the company’s Starlink internet satellites, which also are also deployed from California. With around 9,000 satellites in its growing orbital constellation, Starlink has become a lucrative part of Musk’s business empire, serving millions of customers around the world.
The Falcon 9 rocket also helps launch NASA’s human spaceflight missions to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Center. The most recent of those was the launch of four astronauts at the end of July to the ISS on a mission known as Crew-11, though the Crew-12 replacement mission is due to get off the ground in February.
SpaceX launches Starship from Texas, but Florida mission is on the way
SpaceX launches its famous 400-foot megarocket known as Starship from its headquarters at Starbase in South Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border, which voters in Cameron County approved in May 2025 to become its own city.
However, plans are underway to launch Starship on its maiden flight from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center in early- to mid-2026.
In the years ahead, the world’s largest rocket is due to help NASA astronauts land on the moon under the U.S. space agency’s Artemis program. Musk also has dreams of Starship being the vehicle that transports the first humans to Mars.
Is SpaceX publicly traded? Rocket company seeks 1st IPO
Investors have long been eager for SpaceX to make an initial public offering, or an IPO, which would be the first time the company sells shares of stock to the public.
Reports have indicated that SpaceX has begun discussions with banks about launching the offering around June or July, according to Reuters, which cited an unnamed source Dec. 10 familiar with the matter. Bloomberg News was first to report the potential terms of the offering.
How much is SpaceX worth? SpaceX could get $1 trillion valuation: Reports
SpaceX is looking to raise more than $25 billion at a valuation that could make it one of the most valuable U.S. private companies, according to Reuters and other reports. The move could boost the rocket-maker’s valuation to more than $1 trillion, Reuters reported, citing its unnamed source.
The Wall Street Journal also reported Dec. 5 that SpaceX had plans for a secondary share sale that would value the company at $800 billion. However, Musk dismissed the report as inaccurate.
“SpaceX has been cash flow positive for many years and does periodic stock buybacks twice a year to provide liquidity for employees and investors,” Musk said on social media site X, which he owns.
In June, Musk said on X that he expected SpaceX commercial revenue to “exceed the entire budget of NASA next year.” According to the tech mogul, SpaceX’s revenue for 2025 is expected to be around $15.5 billion, of which approximately $1.1 billion alone will be from its work with NASA.
Can I buy stock in SpaceX?
Until SpaceX begins trading on public stock exchanges, only accredited investors can trade shares, according to Nasdaq Private Market.
How much is Elon Musk’s net worth? Is Musk a trillionaire?
Musk is not yet a trillionaire, although there’s a chance he could become one after Tesla shareholders agreed to grant him shares worth trillions Nov. 6 if the company reaches its financial and operational goals in the next decade.
As of 2025, Musk has a net worth estimated to be more than $490 billion, according to Forbes.
Contributing: Edward Segarra, Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY; Reuters
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
