Potential projects mentioned include mining on asteroids.
The company SpaceX, owned by American billionaire Elon Musk, is making history with a record stock market debut. Through an initial public offering (IPO), the company, known in particular for its satellite internet service Starlink, conducted 555.6 million shares at a price of $135 each, raising $75 billion - this will be the largest IPO in history. Trading began on the Nasdaq stock exchange, with the company's initial valuation set at $1.77 trillion (€1.53 trillion).
Thus, Musk becomes the first person with a net worth exceeding $1 trillion (a number with twelve zeros) - at least on paper, judging by the value of his SpaceX shares and his stake in the electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, which he also leads, notes the dpa agency. It also reminds that during the previous largest IPO, the Saudi oil company Aramco raised about $29 billion in 2019.
According to American television channel NBC News, SpaceX aims to allocate about 30 percent of shares for retail investors instead of the standard 10% for the market. According to the IPO application submitted in May 2026, the long-term strategy of the space company includes plans for lunar exploration and Mars colonization. Potential projects mentioned in the document include mining on asteroids, energy production on Earth's satellite, and launching manufacturing in orbit.
Billion-Dollar Losses on SpaceX's Balance Sheet
In 2025, SpaceX's losses amounted to about $4.94 billion with revenues of $18.67 billion, reminds dpa. In the first quarter of 2026, Musk's company reported a loss of $4.28 billion on revenues of about $4.7 billion. One of the reasons for the losses is the high costs associated with the development of the giant Starship rocket, in which the company has invested a total of more than $15 billion.
SpaceX management expects that after completing all tests in the second half of the year, the rocket will be able to conduct commercial flights. It is anticipated that it will significantly reduce the costs of transporting people and equipment into space. With Starship, it is also planned to launch Starlink satellites into orbit, which will provide internet access from space directly to smartphones.
Musk will retain full control over SpaceX even after the IPO, owning more than 80 percent of the shares. Starlink is the main source of revenue for SpaceX, generating $3.26 billion in revenue in the first quarter. The satellite internet service has about 10.3 million customers in 164 countries.
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