SpaceX plans to file its IPO prospectus this week, clearing the path for a public offering that would dwarf Saudi Aramco's $29.4 billion debut and value the company at €1.61 trillion ($1.75 trillion). The filing marks Elon Musk's decision to open the closely held rocket and satellite operator to public markets after sixteen years of private ownership and $10.8 billion in secondary-market raises since 2020.
The company has delayed this step three times since 2022, waiting for Starlink's subscriber base to stabilize above 4.2 million terminals and for its reusable Falcon 9 fleet to achieve 80 reflights per booster, a cost structure that cuts launch expenses to $1,800 per kilogram versus the legacy industry's $54,000. SpaceX generated $9.4 billion in revenue last year, with Starlink accounting for $6.6 billion and launch services $2.8 billion. The prospectus is expected to disclose gross margins above 60 percent on Starlink terminal sales, a figure that rivals Apple's iPhone economics and explains the valuation multiple.
The filing arrives while Tesla shares climb 4.7 percent in pre-market trading, reflecting investor anticipation that Musk's liquidity event could reduce his reliance on Tesla stock pledges, currently totaling $21.3 billion against 304 million shares. Three family offices contacted by our desk confirmed they are preparing allocation requests for the SpaceX book, with one noting that the company's $140 per share internal valuation in January secondary trades now sits 22 percent below the expected IPO price of $180. The gap reflects SpaceX's disclosure in March that Starship's orbital refueling tests succeeded on the fourth attempt, opening the door to NASA's $4.2 billion Artemis lander contract and commercial lunar freight routes priced at $1.2 million per ton.
Allocators should watch three pressure points. First, the prospectus will reveal whether SpaceX's $3.1 billion in deferred Starlink satellite costs are capitalized or expensed, a classification that swings reported EBITDA by $870 million. Second, the SEC will require disclosure of SpaceX's contingent liabilities under its $2.9 billion NASA Commercial Crew contract, which includes penalty clauses for delays beyond Q2 2026. Third, the roadshow begins May 12, giving the company 21 days to price before the Federal Reserve's June 18 policy decision, where a 25 basis point hike would reprice growth multiples across the IPO market. The final allocation will test whether institutional buyers accept a 94x forward earnings multiple for a capital-intensive aerospace business, even one with Starlink's recurring revenue model.
The prospectus lands the same week Blue Origin's New Glenn booster completes its first commercial flight, a $89 million contract for Telesat that undercuts SpaceX's $67 million Falcon Heavy pricing by deploying a heavier 8,200-kilogram satellite in one launch instead of two. The timing is intentional.