Elon Musk finally wants to take SpaceX public after years of resistance, according to sources interviewed . The company has long said it would not pursue an IPO before landing on Mars. That’s not it.
So why now? Company insiders said this is because Musk hopes to build an artificial intelligence data center in space. Google recently announced that it is working on it and plans a test launch in 2027. Musk reportedly wants to get ahead of the game, but SpaceX needs the billions of dollars in funding from an IPO. Building a giant center in space isn’t cheap.
Musk hopes to complete the IPO by July, sources said. SpaceX is reportedly expected to select a bank to lead the stock offering in the near future.
It’s also seen as an attempt to boost xAI, which lags behind rivals like OpenAI and Google in the artificial intelligence race. If SpaceX succeeds in sending data centers into space, xAI will likely get a sweetheart deal given that Musk runs both companies. Then they can be forever,.
Other companies are also beginning to consider abandoning data centers further afield. Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos said recently. For similar reasons, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been considering partnering with or acquiring a rocket manufacturer.
Putting data centers in space, of course. From latency to heat dissipation and radiation, there are some serious issues that must be overcome. Components must be launched and structures must be built in space. wall street journal There were reports that SpaceX had achieved some sort of breakthrough last year, but the company has yet to release specific details.
If we need giant data centers to generate Garfield memes or whatever, I’d rather they were in space. Microsoft’s newest artificial intelligence data center in Wisconsin. Meta recently announced a data center. These buildings consume energy and water, strain local resources, cause pollution, and provide only some long-term local employment opportunities.
