Best Podcast Episodes About SpaceX

“SpaceX confidentially filed for an IPO yesterday, setting up what is expected to be the largest public debut of all time sometime this summer. SpaceX started as a rocket company, but has since grown into a conglomerate of Elon Musk side projects. The rocket company combined with his AI company, XAI, in February, which had previously combined with his social media platform, X, to create an Elon Steins monster worth trillions. In this group project of …” “SpaceX confidentially filed for an IPO yesterday, setting up what is expected to be the largest public debut of all time sometime this summer. SpaceX started as a rocket company, but has since grown into a conglomerate of Elon Musk side projects. The rocket company combined with his AI company, XAI, in February, which had previously combined with his social media platform, X, to create an Elon Steins monster worth trillions. In this group project of companies with X in their name, it looks like SpaceX will be doing much of the heavy lifting. It's the leader in the rocket launch business, receiving billions of dollars in government contracts to be the workhorse of the U.S. space program. It also has Starlink, the satellite-based internet company that is now the company's main cash flow …” View more

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SpaceX's upcoming IPO could raise a staggering $75 billion, making it the largest public debut in history. With a valuation projected at $1.75 trillion, this IPO would surpass Saudi Aramco's record and potentially revolutionize the U.S. IPO market. However, concerns linger over the financial performance of its AI division, XAI, which could cloud investor confidence.

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Morning Brew Daily · SpaceX Files for Blockbuster IPO & Nike Can’t Fix its Problems · Apr 02, 2026

“… we're smart, and I think sometimes government, almost always, just becomes big and lumbering and can't get out of its own way. I like the fact that SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other private companies are partnering. Do you see in the end NASA as kind of would be running our military and anything government needs to do, but more of the port? And then we're charging these other companies to come and use the port, but our government is kind of in charge of the big port to space. Or do you see NASA as the full thing? so i i think that the taxpayers all contribute uh into nasa for us to do the near …” “… have had achievable path back to the surface. We certainly would not have a moon base. So one last question. We're going to run out of time. I could talk to you all day. I am a small government guy, but I also love NASA. But I want to make sure that we're smart, and I think sometimes government, almost always, just becomes big and lumbering and can't get out of its own way. I like the fact that SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other private companies are partnering. Do you see in the end NASA as kind of would be running our military and anything government needs to do, but more of the port? And then we're charging these other companies to come and use the port, but our government is kind of in charge of the big port to space. Or do you see NASA as the full thing? so i i think that the taxpayers all contribute uh into nasa for us to do the near impossible what no company or other government agency or other nation is capable of doing now that's not always been the case there are times you know when you lose your way and you're doing a lot of things to make a lot of people happy and what you find out is that as an agency you're actually competing with the the spacexes or the blue origins that's …” View more

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NASA is shifting its focus to groundbreaking projects like a nuclear power and propulsion spacecraft, set to launch in 2028. This shift comes as the agency recalibrates to tackle challenges that private companies like SpaceX can't address, such as interplanetary missions. With international partnerships and innovative technology, NASA aims to lead humanity's next giant leap into space exploration.

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The Glenn Beck Program · Best of the Program | Guests: Jared Isaacman & Charlie Duke | 4/2/26 · Apr 02, 2026

“Let's run through some headlines, starting with SpaceX. SpaceX officially filed confidential IPO paperwork with the SEC yesterday Now according to multiple reports and rumors SpaceX is looking to raise between 40 and 75 billion dollars which would be a record amount and value the company at 1 trillion dollars. And to put this into context, the current IPO record is Saudi Aramco, which happened back in 2019. They raised 29 billion dollars. So SpaceX is looking to potentially double that. The hype …” “Let's run through some headlines, starting with SpaceX. SpaceX officially filed confidential IPO paperwork with the SEC yesterday Now according to multiple reports and rumors SpaceX is looking to raise between 40 and 75 billion dollars which would be a record amount and value the company at 1 trillion dollars. And to put this into context, the current IPO record is Saudi Aramco, which happened back in 2019. They raised 29 billion dollars. So SpaceX is looking to potentially double that. The hype around this IPO has been insane because for one, space is a pretty sexy industry, especially right now. And SpaceX is the dominant player in that space. No pun intended. SpaceX accounts for five of every six rocket launches in the US. But beyond just launching rockets, SpaceX also has Starlink, which provides satellite internet service at incredible …” View more

Ridealong summary

SpaceX has filed for a confidential IPO, aiming to raise between $40 and $75 billion, potentially valuing the company at $1 trillion. This would shatter the current record held by Saudi Aramco, which raised $29 billion in 2019. Meanwhile, Tesla faces challenges with Q1 deliveries falling short of expectations, raising concerns about demand and market dynamics.

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The Rundown · SpaceX Files for IPO, Tesla Delivery Slump Continues · Apr 02, 2026

“… this is mission number one on a multi-step plan towards actually colonizing the moon, building a lunar base on the moon, thanks to companies like SpaceX. This is where I kind of want to transition into the numbers because they sound impressive. It's a lot cheaper than it used to be back then. So that's one win. But when you compare it directly towards a company like SpaceX, which is using groundbreaking technology and cutting the cost down to a fraction of what this mission cost, it starts to look pretty bad on NASA and on this space mission in particular. Now, the headline number is $4.1 …” “… are headed back. And this does actually begin to open up the door for why this actually matters. I mean, this is fun. We're learning. We're doing science experiments like testing for radiation out in deeper parts of space. But the reality is, is that this is mission number one on a multi-step plan towards actually colonizing the moon, building a lunar base on the moon, thanks to companies like SpaceX. This is where I kind of want to transition into the numbers because they sound impressive. It's a lot cheaper than it used to be back then. So that's one win. But when you compare it directly towards a company like SpaceX, which is using groundbreaking technology and cutting the cost down to a fraction of what this mission cost, it starts to look pretty bad on NASA and on this space mission in particular. Now, the headline number is $4.1 billion. That's how much it costs to launch this rocket and man this mission. And, you know, it's understandable. There's a lot of bureaucracy in the government. There's a lot of mouths to feed and jobs to pay. But the fact that SpaceX can do this for million and hey if they blow the rocket up what is it like million Josh Yeah so the way it works is i …” View more

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The Artemis II launch is a crucial first step towards establishing a permanent lunar base and advancing human civilization into a Kardashev Type 2 status.

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Limitless Podcast · NASA's Artemis II Launched, But It Should Have Been a SpaceX Mission · Apr 02, 2026

“… the limits of the term startup, right? The private markets have really developed over the past couple of years and is able to support a company like SpaceX to this point is kind of wild. When it lists, it'll be one of the largest companies in the world. And as Jason points out, you might end up getting a company that is kind of an amalgam of all of Elon's industries, which looks almost like a parallel economy in itself. Yeah, it's kind of an insane. It's an insane thing. I think it's gonna be great. I mean, there's so much there's so much liquidity tied up in this company. There's so many people …” “… hundred billion or trillion dollar IPOs this year. Is this a net positive for startup exits or is this an entirely different conversation than we'll be talking about when we discuss smaller company IPOs? Well, I mean, look, it's sort of like testing the limits of the term startup, right? The private markets have really developed over the past couple of years and is able to support a company like SpaceX to this point is kind of wild. When it lists, it'll be one of the largest companies in the world. And as Jason points out, you might end up getting a company that is kind of an amalgam of all of Elon's industries, which looks almost like a parallel economy in itself. Yeah, it's kind of an insane. It's an insane thing. I think it's gonna be great. I mean, there's so much there's so much liquidity tied up in this company. There's so many people who are so convicted on it. But but I think, you know, it'll be one of the greatest wealth creation events in history. You know, you think about folks who live in Austin, we're all like, oh, my goodness, buy a house now because it's about to get ugly. But I think, you know, the same is true for all the folks who have been invested in SpaceX for a …” View more

Ridealong summary

Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO could be one of the greatest wealth creation events in history, potentially valuing the company at $1.75 trillion. This moment not only promises liquidity for investors but also empowers new founders to take risks and innovate, benefiting the entire startup ecosystem. The IPO opens doors for young investors, making Musk's ambitious ventures accessible to a new generation.

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This Week in Startups · Venture Roundtable: SpaceX IPO, AI's PR Crisis, and the Defense Tech Bubble | E2270 · Apr 01, 2026

“… generation to actually make it better sound better better ANC So I put a link to the TechRadar article in the show notes And also lightning round SpaceX has filed confidentially for IPO possibly 1.75 trillion. How do you file confidentially for an IPO? Public offering. How does that happen? Yeah, I mean, I'm not an investing person, but they can file their statement 15 days before the shares become available to the public, allowing it to get like private feedback. I don't know. I don't know exactly all the details, but yeah. That's pretty high valuation though, right? Like for a company just …” “… I was going to make a review video, but now I'm like, I don't know if I'm going to. We'll see. I'll at least post about them. TechRadar did have an interesting interview with the team from Apple talking about the actual engineering behind the second generation to actually make it better sound better better ANC So I put a link to the TechRadar article in the show notes And also lightning round SpaceX has filed confidentially for IPO possibly 1.75 trillion. How do you file confidentially for an IPO? Public offering. How does that happen? Yeah, I mean, I'm not an investing person, but they can file their statement 15 days before the shares become available to the public, allowing it to get like private feedback. I don't know. I don't know exactly all the details, but yeah. That's pretty high valuation though, right? Like for a company just hitting the stock market. Yeah. Also now they've combined with X and XAI. So like, right. Like three companies in one. That's right. It's like three people in a trench coat pretending to be one. Gmail has added a feature where now you can change your username. So if you created your Gmail back in high school or college or whatever, and you chose …” View more

Ridealong summary

SpaceX has confidentially filed for an IPO potentially valued at $1.75 trillion, allowing them to gather private feedback before going public. Meanwhile, Gmail now lets users change their usernames, making it easier to shed embarrassing email addresses from the past while keeping their inbox intact. These developments highlight the evolving landscape of tech companies and user experiences.

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Primary Technology · Apple’s Legacy and Future After 50 Years, Mac Pro is Dead, Claude Code Leak · Apr 02, 2026

“… they're shooting for 1.75 trillion dollars does that make sense to you if you break it down first and say let's add up the pieces you've got uh the spacex business which has got 90 market share and launch and call it 99 market share in satellite internet So two kind of monopoly positions in that business. And then you've got XAI, which is competing in the world of the kind of trillion dollar valuations of OpenAI and then maybe three quarters of a trillion for Anthropic. So putting those two pieces together, you've got to depend, I think, a lot on retail investors to look past any fundamental …” “… that would make it the seventh most valuable company in the world. It would make it more valuable than Meta. it would also make it more valuable than tesla uh which is quite striking i'd love to get your reactions to this uh valuation target that they're shooting for 1.75 trillion dollars does that make sense to you if you break it down first and say let's add up the pieces you've got uh the spacex business which has got 90 market share and launch and call it 99 market share in satellite internet So two kind of monopoly positions in that business. And then you've got XAI, which is competing in the world of the kind of trillion dollar valuations of OpenAI and then maybe three quarters of a trillion for Anthropic. So putting those two pieces together, you've got to depend, I think, a lot on retail investors to look past any fundamental financial metrics on what would justify that valuation, which I think is why they're reserving a third of the IPO for retail. I think they need that retail demand not only for the valuation, but to your early point, this is going to be the largest capital raise in history with $75 billion. So they're going to need everybody from institutions to retail …” View more

Ridealong summary

Elon Musk's SpaceX is targeting a staggering $1.75 trillion valuation, potentially making it more valuable than Tesla and Meta. Critics argue that this lofty goal relies heavily on retail investor enthusiasm rather than solid financial fundamentals, particularly as Tesla faces declining margins. The implications of merging SpaceX and Tesla could reshape the auto industry, but many are left questioning the sustainability of such inflated valuations.

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Prof G Markets · Big Tech Is Now Advising the White House — What Could Go Wrong? · Mar 31, 2026

“… workable and realistic on the timeline and budget that the administrator laid out I think the first thing that is going to be key is how quickly SpaceX can ramp up the Starship flight tests. They're due to fly in April. It's been a bit of a hiatus. And last year was not a particularly, they didn't make a whole lot of progress, not as much as they wanted to do. There's a lot that needs to happen. And that would be regardless of whether the agency was sticking with SLS and Orion beyond Artemis 5 or not. The fact that the agency is looking for two companies capable of doing deep space human …” “Irene you were at the press conference in Washington where this was all sketched out You were there for the better part of a day It pretty ambitious I mean landing crews on the moon every six months Is this workable and realistic on the timeline and budget that the administrator laid out I think the first thing that is going to be key is how quickly SpaceX can ramp up the Starship flight tests. They're due to fly in April. It's been a bit of a hiatus. And last year was not a particularly, they didn't make a whole lot of progress, not as much as they wanted to do. There's a lot that needs to happen. And that would be regardless of whether the agency was sticking with SLS and Orion beyond Artemis 5 or not. The fact that the agency is looking for two companies capable of doing deep space human transport is ambitious. But they did say they expect to see some variants of Orion and possibly SLS be among the proposals. There's been attempts to commercialize SLS. And last year, Lockheed unveiled a plan to try and offer Orion deep space services, you know, as a service to NASA and other customers. So it'll be interesting just to see how the …” View more

Ridealong summary

NASA plans to land crews on the moon every six months, but significant hurdles remain. Key to this ambition is how quickly SpaceX can ramp up Starship tests, amid a backdrop of changing political and economic realities. As the U.S. faces competition from China, the urgency to establish a lunar base becomes even more critical.

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Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast · NASA's New Moonshot · Mar 31, 2026

“… of space exploration as its lineup I mean you just laid out for us what the timeline is But I think for example one of the amazing things that SpaceX has done is by creating Internet essentially beamed down from satellites there's a whole commercial application now for this. And SpaceX is obviously putting satellites into space for private entities. So there's commercialization. So I know there's more commercial options that this will lay the pathway for. Can you speak to that and also why, from a national security perspective, space, NASA, what's going on right now with this program is so …” “… we shared with industry and all our international partners how we're going to do it. We dropped RFIs, RFPs, had breakout sessions the next day because now we're in execution mode. Can you speak to some of the commercial and national security applications of space exploration as its lineup I mean you just laid out for us what the timeline is But I think for example one of the amazing things that SpaceX has done is by creating Internet essentially beamed down from satellites there's a whole commercial application now for this. And SpaceX is obviously putting satellites into space for private entities. So there's commercialization. So I know there's more commercial options that this will lay the pathway for. Can you speak to that and also why, from a national security perspective, space, NASA, what's going on right now with this program is so important? Yeah, absolutely. So I'll tell you what SpaceX did, which is so important, is they figured out how to reuse the rocket again. And not months later, but to do it in weeks. Why does this matter? I mean, think about it. If you were traveling with your family to Disney World, but you had to throw away the 737, how much would it cost to get to …” View more

Ridealong summary

The U.S. is finally gearing up to establish a permanent moon base, a goal that has been on the table since the 1969 moon landing. With plans for a nuclear-powered spacecraft set to launch in 2028, the new space race is not just about returning to the moon, but also about preparing for future Mars missions. This ambitious initiative is backed by both government and commercial partnerships, aiming to revolutionize space exploration and technology.

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Verdict with Ted Cruz · Bonus: Daily Review with Clay and Buck - Mar 31 2026 · Mar 31, 2026

“… but some of them, I think, are satellites being destroyed. Now, I don't have proof of this, but my theory is I think somebody is clipping SpaceX, possibly Starlink satellites. I hope that's incorrect. I hope that they can prove that is not correct. By clipping, you mean like tapping into? No, I'm sorry. I mean shooting down. And I believe the reason that Starlink is a target now is because we know 40,000 Starlink terminals were uncovered in Iran during the protests by the Iranian regime. And they are now associating that as not a private satellite company providing Internet to people …” “… War. It was called Winning Space. It came out in 2020. And I talked about the threat to our space systems, which is still very underappreciated. Your audience might be aware of these fireballs in the skies over Texas and Ohio. Some of them are meteorites, but some of them, I think, are satellites being destroyed. Now, I don't have proof of this, but my theory is I think somebody is clipping SpaceX, possibly Starlink satellites. I hope that's incorrect. I hope that they can prove that is not correct. By clipping, you mean like tapping into? No, I'm sorry. I mean shooting down. And I believe the reason that Starlink is a target now is because we know 40,000 Starlink terminals were uncovered in Iran during the protests by the Iranian regime. And they are now associating that as not a private satellite company providing Internet to people around the world, but as a backdoor way for regime change by the West using these decentralized satellites. In fact, we saw the Ukrainians in the Ukraine war at the beginning were using Starlink to basically keep their units in the fight after the Russians attempted to delink Ukraine from the world telecommunications networking. Now today the …” View more

Ridealong summary

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have issued a chilling threat against major American tech companies like Apple, Google, and Meta, labeling them as legitimate targets. This follows accusations that these firms are aiding U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran, prompting calls for employees in the region to evacuate. As tensions rise, the implications for both national security and the tech industry are profound.

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The Megyn Kelly Show · Shock Story About Kristi Noem's Husband's Double Life, and Trump Warns Europe, with Brandon Weichert, Tom Bevan, and Andrew Walworth | Ep. 1285 · Mar 31, 2026

“this is allocation of the total fund. So Anthropic is 20% of the fund. Databricks is about 17%. OpenAI is about 10, Anduril's 6.9, Ramp 5.1, SpaceX 5%, Epic Games 3.5, Flock Safety 3%, DBT slash 5Tran is 2.8, Vanta is 1.9, Canva is 1.8, Loyal is 1.5, Service Titan 1.4, and so on and so on and so on. But with these companies, how did you get allocation into them? And what is like, I just like, this is just such an interesting vehicle. And I don't think anybody like actually grasped like outside of maybe the hundred thousand that have invested into it. But outside of this, like, I don't hear …” “this is allocation of the total fund. So Anthropic is 20% of the fund. Databricks is about 17%. OpenAI is about 10, Anduril's 6.9, Ramp 5.1, SpaceX 5%, Epic Games 3.5, Flock Safety 3%, DBT slash 5Tran is 2.8, Vanta is 1.9, Canva is 1.8, Loyal is 1.5, Service Titan 1.4, and so on and so on and so on. But with these companies, how did you get allocation into them? And what is like, I just like, this is just such an interesting vehicle. And I don't think anybody like actually grasped like outside of maybe the hundred thousand that have invested into it. But outside of this, like, I don't hear my family talking about getting access to this. Although my dad's always like, how do I get access to Androil or SpaceX? And I'm like, well, I can tell you now, but before it wasn't something that was talked about. So how do you get access to these companies and how do they allow you to then list them Well so the fund is listed not the companies …” View more

Ridealong summary

Investing in AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI was once seen as a risky move, especially during the tech downturn of 2022. However, VCX's innovative approach allowed them to secure significant stakes in these firms by capitalizing on distressed assets when few others would. This strategy not only positioned VCX as a leading player in AI investments but also opened the door for everyday investors to access high-potential tech opportunities.

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Sourcery · How VCX Put Anthropic & OpenAI Into Public Markets · Mar 30, 2026

“… competitive. And there are still tons of missionaries. But I guess I guess another question I have is, would you expect would you expect XAI slash SpaceX at any point to get to basically just open up a shop as like a neocloud? because the thing that was probably one of the least compelling aspects of the TerraFab pitch was him just saying, we need all of this compute. We need to do this because we're going to be so chip-constrained. We're going to be so supply-constrained. But there was no explanation of where the demand was going to come from. Is it going to come from Optimus or Kroc or …” “… there are extremely dedicated beyond the economics. They are true missionaries, not necessarily mercenaries. And so it does feel like it's even harder to do like a talent raid in the leading edge fab world than even the AI world, which is extremely competitive. And there are still tons of missionaries. But I guess I guess another question I have is, would you expect would you expect XAI slash SpaceX at any point to get to basically just open up a shop as like a neocloud? because the thing that was probably one of the least compelling aspects of the TerraFab pitch was him just saying, we need all of this compute. We need to do this because we're going to be so chip-constrained. We're going to be so supply-constrained. But there was no explanation of where the demand was going to come from. Is it going to come from Optimus or Kroc or Twitter? Yeah, it was just very unclear. It was a lot. But there's even the question right now is, should XAI be kind of renting GPUs? I don't know. Renting out GPUs? Because the biggest win has been Colossus 2, which was built very fast. I think Elon's pitch with the SpaceX IPO, and we'll see it in the coming months, is the AI compute. there's going to …” View more

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A potential helium shortage could signal much larger global issues, including food scarcity. While current inventories may last six to nine months, geopolitical tensions could escalate the problem if not resolved quickly. If helium becomes a significant issue, we might face far bigger challenges than just a gas shortage.

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TBPN · FULL INTERVIEW: Why I Think Nvidia Is Perfectly Positioned In The AI Race · Mar 30, 2026

“… name is John McNeil. He wrote a new book called The Algorithm. And this guy's resume will blow your mind, okay? Like, you were the president of SpaceX. Tesla. Tesla. Yeah. Tesla. Yeah. But you were also at SpaceX. I was at SpaceX every Friday because that's where our design center is, down in Hawthorne. Oh, so you didn't work? Okay, so it says here, even on the title of the book, I'm going to read your bio. Normally, I don't. Normally, I read the bio afterwards, and then I input it. But let's just do this together, shall we? Okay, let's see here. The CEO and co-founder of, well, your new …” “Guys, this guy's name is John McNeil. He wrote a new book called The Algorithm. And this guy's resume will blow your mind, okay? Like, you were the president of SpaceX. Tesla. Tesla. Yeah. Tesla. Yeah. But you were also at SpaceX. I was at SpaceX every Friday because that's where our design center is, down in Hawthorne. Oh, so you didn't work? Okay, so it says here, even on the title of the book, I'm going to read your bio. Normally, I don't. Normally, I read the bio afterwards, and then I input it. But let's just do this together, shall we? Okay, let's see here. The CEO and co-founder of, well, your new company is called DVX Ventures, former president of Tesla and COO of Lyft, and current board member of GM, Lululemon, CrossFit, and Stash, and a company called Asurian. Okay. Yeah. But also, that's just like the little bit of it. You were also a consultant at Bain. Yeah. You exited your own six companies. You had six companies that you already exited. …” View more

Ridealong summary

John McNeill, a former president of Tesla, had to beg his way into Bain & Company as one of the first non-Ivy League hires. His unique background, including coding trading algorithms while working his way through college, set him apart and paved the way for his incredible entrepreneurial journey. This story highlights how determination and skill can break barriers in high-stakes environments.

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Habits and Hustle · Episode 541: Jon McNeill: Why “Less” and “Simple” are the Smartest Growth Strategies · Mar 31, 2026

“… planted. In my career, I have, and working with different colleagues, worked to send people and things to space. I've worked with companies like SpaceX and others, Virgin Galactic. I'm mostly on the human spaceflight side in my career, but we're also moving to sail out operations, and you see a lot of robust changes there. I think what the average person needs to understand is that most of which you understand is state-of-the-art technology here on Earth has not actually moved into space. We have not tested a lot of things. So you probably hear about things like putting data centers. Well, …” “Sure. I mean, my position is we've got to get the office planted. In my career, I have, and working with different colleagues, worked to send people and things to space. I've worked with companies like SpaceX and others, Virgin Galactic. I'm mostly on the human spaceflight side in my career, but we're also moving to sail out operations, and you see a lot of robust changes there. I think what the average person needs to understand is that most of which you understand is state-of-the-art technology here on Earth has not actually moved into space. We have not tested a lot of things. So you probably hear about things like putting data centers. Well, when you start hearing about all these different things you can do in space, it raises a lot of questions. So you mentioned the Outer Space Treaty. The Outer Space Treaty in Article 1 actually says that outer space is the common regime of humanity, right? I'm paraphrasing. There's a different word for that, but it's a little controversial and I want …” View more

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Despite the promise of democratizing space travel, access remains largely exclusive and costly. Christopher Hearse discusses the evolution of space technology and the philosophical implications of our species' potential to inhabit other worlds. He emphasizes that while space is meant to be a common realm for humanity, significant barriers still prevent many from participating in this exciting frontier.

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We Fixed It. You're Welcome. · Is Outer Space for Everyone? · Mar 31, 2026

“… catalog as one of the near-Earth asteroids. And within a day, they realized that it follows the path of the Tesla Roadster car that was launched by SpaceX. Oh, no. So then they said, sorry, we take it out of the catalog. It's not a rock. It's a car. Our mistake. It's a car. We know that it's a car because humanity launched it. Now, just imagine a car like that coming into the solar system will appear as a point of light because it reflects sunlight. And the same organization, the Minor Planet Center cataloging it, definitely will catalog it as a rock. It's a strange rock. It's a strange rock. …” “… that this idea works. There was another example of January 2nd, 2025, a year ago. There was the Minor Planet Center that basically catalogs all objects coming close to Earth. They announced a near-Earth asteroid. And they said, we put it in the catalog as one of the near-Earth asteroids. And within a day, they realized that it follows the path of the Tesla Roadster car that was launched by SpaceX. Oh, no. So then they said, sorry, we take it out of the catalog. It's not a rock. It's a car. Our mistake. It's a car. We know that it's a car because humanity launched it. Now, just imagine a car like that coming into the solar system will appear as a point of light because it reflects sunlight. And the same organization, the Minor Planet Center cataloging it, definitely will catalog it as a rock. It's a strange rock. It's a strange rock. It's a car-shaped rock. Yeah, because we were not involved in the launch of this interstellar car. and it's obvious to anyone that looks at these instances that that we can be easily misled by conventional thinking about interstellar objects it's one of my favorite metaphors that you use is about the people who study the zebra yes how does that go …” View more

Ridealong summary

Oumuamua, the first interstellar object detected in our solar system, has sparked debate about its true nature. In a recent discussion, Avi Loeb highlights how astronomers misidentified similar objects, like a car from a SpaceX launch, showcasing the challenges in categorizing interstellar phenomena. This raises questions about our understanding of such objects and the potential for misinterpretation in the field of astronomy.

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The Why Files: Operation Podcast · 637: Basement #008: Avi Loeb | 3I Atlas, Alien Craft, and Suppressed Research · Mar 23, 2026

“… getting Artemis III astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon's surface. To do that, NASA in 2021 awarded a nearly $3 billion contract to Elon Musk's SpaceX for the Lunar Lander version of its Starship, the biggest, most powerful launch vehicle ever built. Made of two components, the Lunar Lander will sit atop the reusable Super Heavy booster. After several spectacular failures and explosions, Starship rebounded with successful launches this past August and October. But the setbacks and technical complexity have contributed to the delay in America's return to the moon's surface. Artemis may be …” “NASA's challenge is what comes next, getting Artemis III astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon's surface. To do that, NASA in 2021 awarded a nearly $3 billion contract to Elon Musk's SpaceX for the Lunar Lander version of its Starship, the biggest, most powerful launch vehicle ever built. Made of two components, the Lunar Lander will sit atop the reusable Super Heavy booster. After several spectacular failures and explosions, Starship rebounded with successful launches this past August and October. But the setbacks and technical complexity have contributed to the delay in America's return to the moon's surface. Artemis may be Apollo's mythological twin, but upcoming missions with SpaceX bear little resemblance. For example, the massive SpaceX lander that will rendezvous with the crew in lunar orbit has to be refueled in space, a complex process requiring the launch of 10 or more fuel tankers. Nothing like this has ever been done before. Elon Musk says it's needed to propel …” View more

Ridealong summary

The Artemis missions are pivotal, but the complexity and delays of SpaceX's Lunar Lander highlight the challenges of returning to the Moon.

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The Matt Walsh Show · Ep. 1759 - The Media Does Not Want To Talk About This HISTORIC NASA Launch. Here’s Why. · Mar 31, 2026

“… or one or two people. And so that's the big difference between us and many of these other firms. With so many large wealth creation events coming up SpaceX is rumored and reported to have nearly a trillion IPO incoming Yep One what do you make of that And two how do you prepare early employees and founders for these large liquidity events Well, look, I think it'll be an interesting test of the markets if they can sort of, I mean, that would be the largest IPO ever, right? And so for the markets to digest that, it'd be really interesting to watch. And I think there's a lot of other very large …” “… do not have professional investors. So I often ask people as a quiz, how many professional investors do you think are in, you know, RIA XYZ? And people answer, I mean, percent, right? People answer me 20%, 50%, 30%. But the number often is zero or one or two people. And so that's the big difference between us and many of these other firms. With so many large wealth creation events coming up SpaceX is rumored and reported to have nearly a trillion IPO incoming Yep One what do you make of that And two how do you prepare early employees and founders for these large liquidity events Well, look, I think it'll be an interesting test of the markets if they can sort of, I mean, that would be the largest IPO ever, right? And so for the markets to digest that, it'd be really interesting to watch. And I think there's a lot of other very large startups waiting in the wings who will be watching this super carefully, right? Because if it works for SpaceX, maybe it works for me. In terms of preparing, I think, you know, again, if you're an individual with, you know, taxes, structuring your estate, structuring your trust is very important pre-IPO. And then post-IPO, it's all about how do I …” View more

Ridealong summary

SpaceX is on track for a historic IPO, potentially the largest ever, which raises questions about market readiness and wealth management strategies. As many startups look to SpaceX's success as a benchmark, preparing employees for liquidity events becomes crucial, involving tax structuring and gradual diversification. The shortage of wealth managers with family office expertise highlights a looming challenge for those navigating these financial waters.

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Sourcery · Inside Marc Andreessen & Ben Horowitz’s Multi-Family Office · Mar 27, 2026

“… in the technical weeds. You're both engineers, now CEOs of companies. What lesson or experiences did you have in your previous roles at Tesla and SpaceX that maybe directly changed an outcome or how you thought about things at Galadine and Mariana? The solving like the discrete technical problems, that is hard. You're solving kind of first of a kind problems in many cases, but then getting large groups of people to work together towards solving those first of a kind problems actually starts to like, that's where the churn starts to appear between teams. And even if you try to have fast, …” “… You need to accumulate as much information as you can within the time that you kind of constrain yourself to and then make the decision and then learn from that decision. Yeah. And incorporate that new information, I guess. You're both pretty deep in the technical weeds. You're both engineers, now CEOs of companies. What lesson or experiences did you have in your previous roles at Tesla and SpaceX that maybe directly changed an outcome or how you thought about things at Galadine and Mariana? The solving like the discrete technical problems, that is hard. You're solving kind of first of a kind problems in many cases, but then getting large groups of people to work together towards solving those first of a kind problems actually starts to like, that's where the churn starts to appear between teams. And even if you try to have fast, accelerated decision making, even if you have everyone talking to each other, you need to make sure that the vectors are aligned and everyone is kind of working in the same direction towards the same thing. And that's a big part of why, as we've been building Mariana, we've been focusing on how do you democratize access to information between teams so …” View more

Ridealong summary

Making fast decisions can significantly accelerate project outcomes, as leaders relieve junior engineers' fears of failure. This approach, learned from experiences at SpaceX and Tesla, emphasizes the importance of quick iterations and democratizing information to avoid data silos in larger teams. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for startups aiming for rapid growth and innovation.

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The a16z Show · The SpaceX and Tesla Playbook for Hard Tech Startups · Mar 27, 2026

“… I think, you know, one thing that's interesting about both of your approaches, and I'm curious how much of this comes back to your time at Tesla's SpaceX, respectively, But you're both like very focused on manufacturability and modularity and modularity of design. Yeah, maybe you should talk. I would be curious to hear both of your thoughts about that. I find that there's this sweet spot between like capital investment and like manufacturing cost of goods sold. And you're always trying to find that with any product, right? And if you just compare stick building a power plant in the field versus, …” “… to run. It has to run faster than 60 hertz for it to be DC source, right? Actually, I make AC because every heat engine, you spin something. But we do it at such a high speed that we then use active rectifiers to convert to DC as the first step. So I think, you know, one thing that's interesting about both of your approaches, and I'm curious how much of this comes back to your time at Tesla's SpaceX, respectively, But you're both like very focused on manufacturability and modularity and modularity of design. Yeah, maybe you should talk. I would be curious to hear both of your thoughts about that. I find that there's this sweet spot between like capital investment and like manufacturing cost of goods sold. And you're always trying to find that with any product, right? And if you just compare stick building a power plant in the field versus, you know, fully integrating like on a highly automated line, that same function, the total cost will always win if you can do it on a highly automated line. And so, you know, we're building for our first factory, we're building a 40 gigawatt factory. And people are like, wow, that's a lot. Contextualize what is 40 gigawatts. Yeah, 40 gigawatts a …” View more

Ridealong summary

Micronuclear reactors could redefine energy delivery by integrating seamlessly into DC microgrids, which are essential for modern computing and renewable technologies. As industry leaders discuss their vision, they emphasize the importance of modular design and automation in building a 40-gigawatt factory, equivalent to half the power of Texas. This innovative approach aims to revolutionize American energy infrastructure and significantly reduce costs.

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The a16z Show · How Radiant and Heron Are Rethinking Power Generation and Delivery · Mar 31, 2026

“A lot of people have been speculating about demotivation from SpaceX liquidity as the company goes out at a $1.5, maybe $2 trillion valuation. There's a lot of engineers who are great. They're about to have a lot of liquidity, and maybe they will decide to retire is basically the thesis. But we've sort of run this experiment with Tesla. What was it like post-IPO? Do you have a read on how the culture changed? Did everyone remain interested in the mission? Or were there some people that actually did choose to …” “A lot of people have been speculating about demotivation from SpaceX liquidity as the company goes out at a $1.5, maybe $2 trillion valuation. There's a lot of engineers who are great. They're about to have a lot of liquidity, and maybe they will decide to retire is basically the thesis. But we've sort of run this experiment with Tesla. What was it like post-IPO? Do you have a read on how the culture changed? Did everyone remain interested in the mission? Or were there some people that actually did choose to sort of step back? Yeah, I think the majority of people that were there for the mission, they're mission-oriented. And the size of their bank account over time grew, but it really didn't matter to them. They were showing up every day just to solve the next thing that was in the way. There were some people that cashed out along the way, but they were …” View more

Ridealong summary

Despite the potential for demotivation after a company IPO, many employees remain focused on the mission rather than their bank balances. This was evident at Tesla, where a tight financial strategy kept teams sharp and engaged, even as the company went public. The culture thrived on the challenge and the opportunity to do meaningful work, proving that passion often outweighs financial incentives.

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TBPN · Arm Pumps CPUs, Social Media Addiction, Data Center Ban | Eric Goldman, Nima Jalali, Jon McNeill, Karri Saarinen, Dimi Kellari, Mikey Shulman, Aida Baradari, Zack Kanter, Nik Milanović, Zach Perret · Mar 26, 2026

“… of a hundred. And the puzzle pieces have slowly been falling into place to actually make this happen, right? It's back in February, we had the XAI SpaceX merger. That was huge. Simultaneously, Tesla invested $2 billion in XAI. There's 100 gigawatts of domestic solar push. Then there's Optimus Starship, Grok and Tesla vehicles. Everything is merging together. And this is the first formalized version of that, where he's really combining all of these entities into one. And I think that's the only chance they have. And if someone's going to solve this, it's going to be them. It's going to be the …” “… out, it makes sense in all of his estimations that he needs to build this in-house. It makes sense. And again, the scale is like really difficult to wrap your head around. This is far larger than anything anyone's considering doing by like an order of a hundred. And the puzzle pieces have slowly been falling into place to actually make this happen, right? It's back in February, we had the XAI SpaceX merger. That was huge. Simultaneously, Tesla invested $2 billion in XAI. There's 100 gigawatts of domestic solar push. Then there's Optimus Starship, Grok and Tesla vehicles. Everything is merging together. And this is the first formalized version of that, where he's really combining all of these entities into one. And I think that's the only chance they have. And if someone's going to solve this, it's going to be them. It's going to be the engineering teams that have built reusable rockets and full self-driving cars. And then after they figured out that front, now it's the time that we could get into space. Now is the time we could talk about the moon and mass drivers and satellites. And this is the truly sci-fi part. So after you've built the biggest factory on Earth, you've designed …” View more

Ridealong summary

Elon Musk's TeraFab project could revolutionize AI chip manufacturing by achieving what no other company has managed, potentially transforming the industry and space infrastructure.

Elon Musk's TeraFab project is a strategic move to address an impending chip shortage and leverage space-based solar energy for AI advancements.

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Limitless Podcast · Elon Musk's Terafab: The Impossible Plan for a Galactic Civilization · Mar 23, 2026

“… I would bet on it, but I think there's— I would put the April 20th at maybe 30%, and then the ticker maybe down at 15%. 30%. Kalshi has when will SpaceX officially announce an IPO before June 1st, which April 20th would be before June 1st. Yeah, I'm not talking about it. I'm talking about like list actual like listing day, like the day of the IPO. Yeah, this is just announcing the IPO. Which I don't even know if they haven't even confirmed this. This is now this is currently in the scoop in the scoop thing. So they haven't even. Scoop, you said? They so the. Wait, John, did you say scoop? Yes, …” “… the ticker ends up being, but I think some people would... Knowing Elon's very millennial sense of humor, I think the ticker SEX is plus the April 20th IPO. I would assume that— You think there's a real prediction? You're not trolling? I'm not saying I would bet on it, but I think there's— I would put the April 20th at maybe 30%, and then the ticker maybe down at 15%. 30%. Kalshi has when will SpaceX officially announce an IPO before June 1st, which April 20th would be before June 1st. Yeah, I'm not talking about it. I'm talking about like list actual like listing day, like the day of the IPO. Yeah, this is just announcing the IPO. Which I don't even know if they haven't even confirmed this. This is now this is currently in the scoop in the scoop thing. So they haven't even. Scoop, you said? They so the. Wait, John, did you say scoop? Yes, this is a scoop. What is this? can we go can we go to the wide angle we got katie roof scoop master we have a new we have a new award her the first tbpn golden scoop the golden scoop you want to show her the i don't want to i don't want to pick it up yet why not okay we can't we need to give the golden scoop award for the best scoop of the day to …” View more

Ridealong summary

SpaceX could potentially file for an IPO on April 20th, with speculation about the ticker symbol being 'SEX'. This date aligns with Elon Musk's penchant for humor, but the real intrigue lies in how this move could reshape the space industry and affect competitors like Blue Origin and Rocket Lab, who are vying for market share amid SpaceX's dominance.

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TBPN · Benchmark's Future, SpaceX IPO, RIP Sora | Mike Knoop, Nathan Benaich, Rohin Dhar, Eric Jorgenson, Jenny Just, and Matt Hulsizer · Mar 25, 2026

“… solar panels from a brand new material developed during the doctoral research. ARENA builds solar cells specifically for spacecraft. In the pre-SpaceX world, when most satellites were bespoke, spacecraft used expensive but hardy solar panels made of rare Earth elements. With mass-manufactured satellites, cheaper silicone panels are being used, but they degrade more quickly due to cosmic radiation. And that'll do it for me.” “… the space ambitions of nation states and billionaires alike demand better sources of power. And a new startup founded by two Stanford PhDs may have the answer. Startup Arena said Wednesday that it had raised a $4 million seed round to build ultra-thin solar panels from a brand new material developed during the doctoral research. ARENA builds solar cells specifically for spacecraft. In the pre-SpaceX world, when most satellites were bespoke, spacecraft used expensive but hardy solar panels made of rare Earth elements. With mass-manufactured satellites, cheaper silicone panels are being used, but they degrade more quickly due to cosmic radiation. And that'll do it for me.” View more

Ridealong summary

A new startup, Arena, has raised $4 million to develop ultra-thin solar panels specifically designed for spacecraft. This innovation comes from research by two Stanford PhDs and aims to overcome the limitations of current silicone panels that degrade quickly in space. With the rise of mass-manufactured satellites, Arena's technology could revolutionize power sources in the aerospace industry.

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TechCrunch Daily Crunch · Spotify tests new tool to stop AI slop · Mar 26, 2026

“And maybe, I mean, even though Tesla's been vertically integrated to the point of being a consumer product, SpaceX has not. It's been a railroad, and there is a world where you fab the chips, you put them on satellites, on Starlinks, in space, and then you let other companies do whatever they want with those GPUs. Think what Elon did with Starlink. That's a telecom infrastructure play, and this will be an AI computing infrastructure play. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That fits that model. There's a world there. I'm not going to bet against Elon. It might just take …” “And maybe, I mean, even though Tesla's been vertically integrated to the point of being a consumer product, SpaceX has not. It's been a railroad, and there is a world where you fab the chips, you put them on satellites, on Starlinks, in space, and then you let other companies do whatever they want with those GPUs. Think what Elon did with Starlink. That's a telecom infrastructure play, and this will be an AI computing infrastructure play. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That fits that model. There's a world there. I'm not going to bet against Elon. It might just take long. Yeah, yeah. What's going on with helium? What are you tracking there? There's chatter about helium shortages, potentially. Jensen has talked about this. This is a risk. But there is probably like six months, six to nine months of inventory in the channel. Bernstein has talked about it's not a risk in the short term. So if this Iran stuff lasts …” View more

Ridealong summary

Elon Musk could revolutionize AI computing by creating a satellite-based infrastructure similar to Starlink. This would allow companies to utilize GPUs in space, unlocking new possibilities for AI applications. However, concerns about helium shortages could pose challenges to this ambitious vision.

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TBPN · The Lawyer Who Beat Meta and Google, Revisiting The Jetsons, Japan Twitter | Tae Kim, Logan Bartlett, Sam Stephenson, Ben Broca, Brett Adcock, Andrei Serban · Mar 30, 2026

“Usually you would go to a lunar orbit or an Earth orbit or some point in between the moon and Earth. Gabe says, what is this mass driver you speak of SpaceX is getting in the supplements game? That's a great name for us. They should make a... They've done the Tesla tequila. Yeah, exactly. They should make a mass gainer that they release now and say, hey, if you buy this, you'll get priority access to the mass driver on the moon. I like this. I like this a lot. I would definitely be a daily driver of the mass driver. And so, yeah, there's this question of, like, you set up this thing that's going to …” “Usually you would go to a lunar orbit or an Earth orbit or some point in between the moon and Earth. Gabe says, what is this mass driver you speak of SpaceX is getting in the supplements game? That's a great name for us. They should make a... They've done the Tesla tequila. Yeah, exactly. They should make a mass gainer that they release now and say, hey, if you buy this, you'll get priority access to the mass driver on the moon. I like this. I like this a lot. I would definitely be a daily driver of the mass driver. And so, yeah, there's this question of, like, you set up this thing that's going to take forever, be really expensive. What are you actually pushing into space? You probably start with basic materials. So rock, literally rocks, metal, oxygen, water, a lot of useful space. What if the asteroids that we get into our atmosphere is just an advanced civilization somewhere else? Just mass driving, mass driving. I saw I saw. Yeah, we're …” View more

Ridealong summary

Elon Musk's TeraFab project lacks a compelling justification for its massive scale, relying more on grandiose visions than concrete plans.

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TBPN · SpaceX’s Lunar Mass Driver, OpenAI Hires Meta’s Top Ad Exec, Zuck Builds CEO Agent | Diet TBPN · Mar 23, 2026

“… then you just launch right then. I know, but you're saying we're launching them back just into Earth's orbit. Earth's orbit, yeah. Toward where the SpaceX. Yeah, you are kind of round tripping. But it's the equivalent of like dropping a ball versus throwing it up. Yeah, yeah. Like, you're dropping stuff. But the whole point is that more mass starts up there. It seems clear that it's going to require, like, the vast majority of the components for these satellites being made entirely on the moon. Otherwise, it could very well not make sense. Yeah. Yeah, no, totally. Like, there is no benefit to …” “… crazy, right? Like, the moon is like rotating on It's like extremely predictable. It's perfectly predictable. You can predict it hundreds of years. Yeah. And so if you have it lined up so that every day at least it lines up to be the perfect angle, then you just launch right then. I know, but you're saying we're launching them back just into Earth's orbit. Earth's orbit, yeah. Toward where the SpaceX. Yeah, you are kind of round tripping. But it's the equivalent of like dropping a ball versus throwing it up. Yeah, yeah. Like, you're dropping stuff. But the whole point is that more mass starts up there. It seems clear that it's going to require, like, the vast majority of the components for these satellites being made entirely on the moon. Otherwise, it could very well not make sense. Yeah. Yeah, no, totally. Like, there is no benefit to bringing a fully complete Starlink satellite up there and then driving it from the moon down to low Earth orbit. That makes no sense. The only thing that makes sense is if you're able to get something, like the vast majority of the mass, ideally 100% of the mass, from what's already on the moon, because that's already been driven up there. It's …” View more

Ridealong summary

Mass drivers could revolutionize how we build satellites in space, potentially sourcing materials from the Moon to reduce costs. With predictable lunar movements, launching components into orbit becomes more efficient, eliminating the need to transport fully assembled satellites from Earth. This innovative approach not only saves energy but also opens doors to new possibilities, including space tourism.

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TBPN · The Great Peptide Debate, SpaceX's Lunar Mass Driver, AI Coming for Zuck's Job | Martin Shkreli & Max Marchione, Mitchell Green, Shane Hegde, Dr. Adam Oskowitz, Robin Vince, David Senra · Mar 23, 2026

“… making money from free users through advertisements, end quote. A sources told Reuters that Elon Musk is discussing allocating as much as 30% of SpaceX's IPO to individual investors, at least three times the usual retail slice. Quote, Musk's plan relayed to Wall Street by SpaceX Chief Financial Officer Brett Jensen pairs the oversized retail allocation with an unusually hands-on approach to choosing bankers, the people said. SpaceX is assigning some firms narrowly defined roles based on personal relationships and past ties rather than allowing them to broadly compete for investors, they added, …” “… Zealand, the spokesperson said. Ads represent an important source of revenue as the company gears up to go public. Executives have told investors that the company expects to generate more than $17 billion from consumers using ChatGPT in 2026, including making money from free users through advertisements, end quote. A sources told Reuters that Elon Musk is discussing allocating as much as 30% of SpaceX's IPO to individual investors, at least three times the usual retail slice. Quote, Musk's plan relayed to Wall Street by SpaceX Chief Financial Officer Brett Jensen pairs the oversized retail allocation with an unusually hands-on approach to choosing bankers, the people said. SpaceX is assigning some firms narrowly defined roles based on personal relationships and past ties rather than allowing them to broadly compete for investors, they added, cautioning that the plan is not final and could change. As part of that effort, Musk handpicked Bank of America to focus on domestic retail distribution according to four people familiar with the matter Demand from retail investors is expected to be strong spanning wealthy family offices that have backed SpaceX for years as well as smaller …” View more

Ridealong summary

OpenAI has exceeded $100 million in annual revenue from ChatGPT ads, with over 600 advertisers on board and plans for self-serve access by April. This advertising strategy is crucial as the company prepares for an IPO, projecting over $17 billion in revenue by 2026, even from free users. The move signals strong confidence in OpenAI's growth and potential in the market.

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Tech Brew Ride Home · AI Step-Change Alert! · Mar 27, 2026

“… satellite constellation would take centuries, even assuming the availability of all global launch capacity to do so. And the argument is if you give SpaceX permission to do this, you're going to cut down on the permission you give other people to do other things. Sure. And Amazon is, of course, very well positioned to say these things because they have their own satellite constellation they want to launch. They have the money and the resources and the time and the Jeff Bezos to spend the money on lawyers and fight the fight against Elon Musk. This is what you want. Like in our system, you want the …” “This seems to describe a lofty ambition rather than a real plan. Timing is likewise uncertain. Deploying a million satellite constellation would take centuries, even assuming the availability of all global launch capacity to do so. And the argument is if you give SpaceX permission to do this, you're going to cut down on the permission you give other people to do other things. Sure. And Amazon is, of course, very well positioned to say these things because they have their own satellite constellation they want to launch. They have the money and the resources and the time and the Jeff Bezos to spend the money on lawyers and fight the fight against Elon Musk. This is what you want. Like in our system, you want the two parties who are positioned to fight to a policy outcome to do this. This is why you set up a system of having petitions to protest requests. This is a good fight that should happen. This is the system working. Yeah We asked for permission to do this Does anyone have any objections Amazon is like we have an objection Brendan his little brain …” View more

Ridealong summary

Brendan Carr, head of the FCC, showcases blatant bias by favoring Elon Musk's satellite ambitions over Amazon's, undermining the regulatory process. His public remarks on social media indicate a troubling disregard for neutrality, revealing a corrupt tendency to pick winners before evaluations are complete. This behavior raises serious concerns about the integrity of regulatory oversight in the telecommunications sector.

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The Vergecast · The MacBook Neo is a winner · Mar 13, 2026

“… evident so it's my belief that uh in order to be successful in this you really have to vertically integrate much the way we did in the early days of spacex we saw that building the rocket and building your satellites and then implementing in their case starlink and now you know their version of xai in orbit you really have to have that and you know spacex is is going to dominate a lot in that phantom space we have exactly the same playbook so those who don't have that vertical integration are always going to be at the risk of what amounts to a very scarce launch supply even today you know there is …” “… Starlink? Like where will the partnerships happen? And then where will your core value prop live within the supply chain? yeah it's it's a great question because this is exactly where i think all the the differences between the approaches become evident so it's my belief that uh in order to be successful in this you really have to vertically integrate much the way we did in the early days of spacex we saw that building the rocket and building your satellites and then implementing in their case starlink and now you know their version of xai in orbit you really have to have that and you know spacex is is going to dominate a lot in that phantom space we have exactly the same playbook so those who don't have that vertical integration are always going to be at the risk of what amounts to a very scarce launch supply even today you know there is a perception that there's more launch than we need and it's not true at all it's very scarce we're you know phantom we're building something we call the daytona which is quite a bit smaller than anything spacex builds so we're more the taxi They're more the, you know, the freight liner. And so, so, you know, we find a real market for that. People …” View more

Ridealong summary

The U.S. is facing a looming shortage of launch capacity, with existing sites reaching their limits within five years. This scarcity is due to bureaucratic hurdles and public opposition to new launch ranges, making companies that control these sites critical players in the orbital economy. As demand grows, understanding these challenges is essential for future space endeavors.

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TBPN · Samsung Invests $70B in AI Chips, The Cubanator Joins, Apple: Behind in AI, Ahead in Revenue | Mark Cuban, John Kim, Eugen Alpeza, Ari Herbert-Voss, Alex Konrad, Carl Eschenbach & Pat Grady, Jim Cantrell, Tom Hulme · Mar 19, 2026

“… It's only focuses, I like these company histories that focus on like the first like six years and it just stops. It's the first six years history of SpaceX. And there's nothing good in the book. It's just reading one failure after another after another, and one catastrophe after another after another. It's a good read. When my kid was five, he loves rockets. And so his favorite rocket video was the compilation of all the SpaceX rocket explosions. Well, Elon talks about this, that before his friends, after he sold them to I think he had like 180 I think the story tells me like 180 million after …” “… nothing but the explosion remains of the third rocket, the second or third rocket. The one he had been funding personally, like. Yes. Did you ever read Eric Berger's book, Liftoff? No, I didn't. Oh, you got to read it. I'm surprised you haven't. It's only focuses, I like these company histories that focus on like the first like six years and it just stops. It's the first six years history of SpaceX. And there's nothing good in the book. It's just reading one failure after another after another, and one catastrophe after another after another. It's a good read. When my kid was five, he loves rockets. And so his favorite rocket video was the compilation of all the SpaceX rocket explosions. Well, Elon talks about this, that before his friends, after he sold them to I think he had like 180 I think the story tells me like 180 million after taxes He like I going to do this rocket company One of his I think Adeo Rossi or I forgot something with a friend sat him down and they made him watch all the rocket There was a compilation, this is probably pre-YouTube, of just rockets blowing up over and over again. Like, no, you're literally going to light your fortune on fire. It's going to …” View more

Ridealong summary

Elon Musk's approach to building companies like SpaceX and Starlink is a revolutionary method that combines relentless innovation and scalability, proving to be more effective than traditional methods. Despite facing numerous failures, Musk's strategy of launching reusable rockets and creating consumer internet access satellites has led to unprecedented success. This unique blend of founder mentality and managerial acumen sets him apart in the entrepreneurial landscape.

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The a16z Show · Marc Andreessen on the Mindset of Great Founders — with David Senra · Mar 15, 2026

“… firm fixed price. And if you make a better margin because you're able to economize, this is sort of the Elon model and why he was so successful at SpaceX. Well, then everyone wins, right? And the venture community sort of is very comfortable with that model, right? You're bet on winners. Not everyone's going to win, but cost plus, endless development cycles doesn't work. And so we need faster development cycles, risk sharing with industry, clear demand signals, simpler ways to do business. And those are the kind of bureaucracies that like every day I'm moving the debris out to try to make it …” “… trying to move it to simple requirements. I need a missile that goes this far in this environment with this payload, et cetera. You, industry, come at me with your ideas on how to do it. And then you've got to pay for it. Yeah. And we'll buy it and firm fixed price. And if you make a better margin because you're able to economize, this is sort of the Elon model and why he was so successful at SpaceX. Well, then everyone wins, right? And the venture community sort of is very comfortable with that model, right? You're bet on winners. Not everyone's going to win, but cost plus, endless development cycles doesn't work. And so we need faster development cycles, risk sharing with industry, clear demand signals, simpler ways to do business. And those are the kind of bureaucracies that like every day I'm moving the debris out to try to make it happen. That's good. You're like regulatory Moses. That's good. So that, to me, is one of the most important things that's changed. And it actually gets the founders fired up to build. What is it that the companies can do better to work with the government, to work with you? You've done this Arsenal Freedom Tour. You've visited a bunch of startups. …” View more

Ridealong summary

The Department of War is transforming how it collaborates with startups, moving away from outdated bureaucratic processes. By implementing simpler requirements and fixed-price contracts, the government aims to foster innovation and speed up technology deployment. This shift not only excites founders but also aligns with successful models like SpaceX's, making it easier for new companies to partner with the government.

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The a16z Show · Emil Michael: Iran, Anthropic and the Future of AI at the Pentagon · Mar 13, 2026

“… understand NASA now. A lot of this money, a lot of this is coming from private corporations. You know, why do you think why do you why do you think SpaceX is there? Why do you think, you know, Blue Origin is there? They're all involved in this now. So it's not all coming from us. And and yes, this one is not where last time we spent all this money. We're like, yeah, but we got Tang and a microwave out of it. This one, the space based economy is game changing. If the United States owns that part of the moon and and can actually do these things, the space-based economy changes us forever. It's like …” “… have them. Sure, sure. Why not? Okay. Jenny the Great, aren't there better things to spend money on? Homelessness, national debt, drug war, environment, helping save lives? Yeah, here's the great thing. We're not just spending it's not NASA like you understand NASA now. A lot of this money, a lot of this is coming from private corporations. You know, why do you think why do you why do you think SpaceX is there? Why do you think, you know, Blue Origin is there? They're all involved in this now. So it's not all coming from us. And and yes, this one is not where last time we spent all this money. We're like, yeah, but we got Tang and a microwave out of it. This one, the space based economy is game changing. If the United States owns that part of the moon and and can actually do these things, the space-based economy changes us forever. It's like what Detroit did to the United States of America back in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. It's bigger than that. It's bigger than that. I have another one from Autumn, 1544. This one, I wonder how you're going to answer this. Does going to the moon glorify God? Yes, because man, look at man. God created man. And we are to push ourselves to the absolute …” View more

Ridealong summary

The space-based economy is poised to revolutionize America, much like the automotive boom in the early 20th century. With private corporations like SpaceX and Blue Origin leading the charge, this new frontier is not just about exploration but also economic growth and innovation. As we look to the moon and beyond, the potential for human achievement and economic prosperity is limitless.

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The Glenn Beck Program · 'Conservative' Influencer Just Told Muslims to Unite Against America?! | Guest: Tommy Robinson | 3/31/26 · Mar 31, 2026

“… It's got to be at some point. It's got to be in here, right? They're taking the fintech route at least first, it looks like. Speak of Elon Musk, SpaceX, they're getting ready to IPO. Did you remember that they have a pretty substantial Bitcoin stack on the balance sheet? Yeah. I remember reading about this, but it's going public. They had about, at one point in time, $780 million worth of Bitcoin, so almost a billion in Bitcoin. That's worth about half that now, just given prices and the market. I know that SpaceX does a ton of stablecoin commerce because they sell... Wait, do they? Oh, yeah. …” “… That's the stack that they're using. It's like a Mercury, TradFi kind of neobank approach. I don't see anything about crypto or stable coins here yet. I don't quite see anything, but it'd be hard to imagine that stablecoin payments would not be in here. It's got to be at some point. It's got to be in here, right? They're taking the fintech route at least first, it looks like. Speak of Elon Musk, SpaceX, they're getting ready to IPO. Did you remember that they have a pretty substantial Bitcoin stack on the balance sheet? Yeah. I remember reading about this, but it's going public. They had about, at one point in time, $780 million worth of Bitcoin, so almost a billion in Bitcoin. That's worth about half that now, just given prices and the market. I know that SpaceX does a ton of stablecoin commerce because they sell... Wait, do they? Oh, yeah. Because they own Starlink, right? And Starlink sells a lot of Starlinks all across the world across different fiat currencies. And stablecoins, huh? So they just use stable coins to rectify everything and just have that be seamless. Yeah. What does that have to do with Bitcoin? Unsure. Unsure. Are you asking why they own Bitcoin? Yeah, I'm asking …” View more

Ridealong summary

SpaceX holds nearly $780 million in Bitcoin, raising questions about their strategy as they prepare for an IPO. The company uses stablecoins for seamless international payments through Starlink, hinting at a broader fintech approach. This dual strategy of holding Bitcoin while engaging in stablecoin commerce showcases the evolving landscape of digital finance.

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Bankless · ROLLUP: Wartime Markets | Kraken Gets Fedwire | Trump vs Banks | AI vs Pentagon | NYT Says Crypto Is Dead · Mar 06, 2026

“… You've got to wonder what kind of comp packages these new hires got. Who knows? It is interesting now. Elon has the advantage of being able to use SpaceX stock to recruit people, which is, you know, pre-IPO shares in a company that is unclear where it's going to trade. but Elon's obviously doing everything he can to make sure the IPO goes well, including putting some amount of pressure, it sounds like, on NASDAQ and the S&P to get faster inclusion. So there's a big discussion over, well, XAI is worth like $200 billion, ostensibly.” “… There's a whole debate going on on what's going on at XAI. Elon Musk said XAI was not built right the first time around, so it's being rebuilt from the foundations up. He said the same thing happened with Tesla. He's completely changing the strategy. You've got to wonder what kind of comp packages these new hires got. Who knows? It is interesting now. Elon has the advantage of being able to use SpaceX stock to recruit people, which is, you know, pre-IPO shares in a company that is unclear where it's going to trade. but Elon's obviously doing everything he can to make sure the IPO goes well, including putting some amount of pressure, it sounds like, on NASDAQ and the S&P to get faster inclusion. So there's a big discussion over, well, XAI is worth like $200 billion, ostensibly.” View more

Ridealong summary

Travis Kalanick is launching a new self-driving venture, reuniting with key figures from his past, including Anthony Lewandowski. This move comes as Elon Musk announces a complete overhaul of XAI, indicating that the initial build was flawed and needs a fresh start. The tech world is buzzing with speculation about the future of these companies and their potential impact on the industry.

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TBPN · Tall Poppy Syndrome, Bytedance Gets Blackwell Chips, WSJ Mansion Section | Diet TBPN · Mar 14, 2026

“… call it American capitalism, but there are so many little features about it that doesn't look like it's an open market. You know, I go back to the SpaceX thing where like in the past, like companies had to IPO. This is before the Facebook days when you had more than 100 investors. That was actually a rule. Like if you had more than 100 investors, you have to IPO. And I think that's because, hey, if you found enough like capital to grow at some point, like you just graduate and you become responsible for public shareholders, both from an access perspective to invest in growth, but also like an …” “… capitalism. capitalism, it's open markets. We need open markets for price discovery and people to act accordingly with information that is symmetrical on both sides as retailers and institutional. And what we're seeing right now is that, you know, we call it American capitalism, but there are so many little features about it that doesn't look like it's an open market. You know, I go back to the SpaceX thing where like in the past, like companies had to IPO. This is before the Facebook days when you had more than 100 investors. That was actually a rule. Like if you had more than 100 investors, you have to IPO. And I think that's because, hey, if you found enough like capital to grow at some point, like you just graduate and you become responsible for public shareholders, both from an access perspective to invest in growth, but also like an accountability. Like you have higher disclosure rules you have to follow as a real company. Facebook changed this when they didn't go public in that time frame by arguing for different exemptions to it. And they succeeded, which is why we've ever since then had giant, giant, like multi-billion dollar companies that can stay private for a very long …” View more

Ridealong summary

The potential IPO of SpaceX at a staggering $1.5 trillion raises questions about the integrity of American capitalism. With the social contract seemingly broken and financial markets increasingly manipulated, this scenario challenges our understanding of open markets and price discovery. Both wealth taxes and hyper-financialization present dilemmas that could reshape the economic landscape.

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TFTC: A Bitcoin Podcast · #729: The Generational Liquidity Trap with Jeff Park · Mar 21, 2026

Ridealong summary

An astronaut shares the sentimental items he brought on his missions, including symbolic wings for his daughters. These wings, representing his service and family legacy, embody the sacrifices made by both him and his wife. This heartfelt gesture highlights the importance of family and the values he hopes to instill in his children.

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The Shawn Ryan Show · #287 Butch Wilmore - He Was Stranded in Space for 286 Days · Mar 12, 2026

“… that time because he founded Blue Origin in 2000. Wow. Before the crash. I didn't know that. Yeah, before the crash. So he was... Was it before SpaceX? Yeah, before SpaceX. Whoa. Yeah. So, Elon sold PayPal. For some reason, I assume that Blue Origin was just mimetic with Elon. No, no, no. He did it earlier. Wow. And so he kept Blue Origin alive. And can you imagine how stressful it is? You're like, okay, I'm worth $10 billion. Certainly, I can have a little side project as a treat. And you're like, okay, I just lost 85% of my money. I deserve a side project that loses $20 million a month. …” “… basically, because of the stock drop in Amazon. But he not only kept Amazon alive, which I think everyone knows that, you know, Amazon went up during the dot-com bubble and then crashed and then built back up. But he also kept Blue Origin alive during that time because he founded Blue Origin in 2000. Wow. Before the crash. I didn't know that. Yeah, before the crash. So he was... Was it before SpaceX? Yeah, before SpaceX. Whoa. Yeah. So, Elon sold PayPal. For some reason, I assume that Blue Origin was just mimetic with Elon. No, no, no. He did it earlier. Wow. And so he kept Blue Origin alive. And can you imagine how stressful it is? You're like, okay, I'm worth $10 billion. Certainly, I can have a little side project as a treat. And you're like, okay, I just lost 85% of my money. I deserve a side project that loses $20 million a month. Exactly, yeah. I don't know how much they were losing. But that doesn't seem unreasonable. But he was able to keep it going. Of course, Blue Origin was a slow story all the way up until last year when they landed New Glenn. And so he kept both alive, and he's never given up on the project Blue Origin that always has felt behind SpaceX for the two …” View more

Ridealong summary

Jeff Bezos faced a dramatic financial downturn, plummeting from $9 billion to just $1 billion during the dot-com crash. Despite this, he not only revived Amazon but also kept his space venture, Blue Origin, alive, showcasing his unique operational skills developed through years of running a physical goods business. This resilience and focus on efficiency have now positioned Blue Origin to finally compete with SpaceX.

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TBPN · Bezos' $100B AI Plan, Nvida Chip Smuggling, The Mansion Section | Diet TBPN · Mar 21, 2026

“… the strongest competitive advantages often have these like significant hardware or infrastructure components. You know, you can look at Tesla or SpaceX or, you know, NVIDIA, you know, even Google and Microsoft, building massive data centers. They practically, I mean, they're spending hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure that basically look like PG&E at this point. It's crazy. And it is definitely the case that, I think these hardware companies typically take a decade, I mean, Tesla and SpaceX, KD's in point, to really get to your first breakout product that can hyperscale. And …” “… or autonomous vehicles. I mean, you know, this is like the stupidest thing you could possibly do. And, you know, but and yet when we're from where we sit today, it is so obvious that like the most valuable companies on Earth, the most the companies with the strongest competitive advantages often have these like significant hardware or infrastructure components. You know, you can look at Tesla or SpaceX or, you know, NVIDIA, you know, even Google and Microsoft, building massive data centers. They practically, I mean, they're spending hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure that basically look like PG&E at this point. It's crazy. And it is definitely the case that, I think these hardware companies typically take a decade, I mean, Tesla and SpaceX, KD's in point, to really get to your first breakout product that can hyperscale. And this is about what Zipline also experienced. But again, we are right now sitting in this,” View more

Ridealong summary

Despite facing overwhelming skepticism, Zipline's innovative delivery system has led to a remarkable 51% reduction in maternal mortality in hospitals it serves. Initially dismissed by investors and experts alike, the company's pivot to life-saving logistics in Africa proved to be a game-changer, showcasing the importance of long-term vision in tech development. This story highlights the critical intersection of technology, healthcare, and the perseverance required to challenge the status quo.

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This Week in Startups · The Drone Company Everyone Thought Was Illegal (Now Worth $4B+) | E2265 · Mar 20, 2026

“… The company's starting to see some momentum. their Alpha Rocket, which is their core product and competes with companies like Rocket Lab and SpaceX, finally had a successful launch last week after some earlier setbacks. On top of that, last year, the company's Blue Ghost Lunar Lander successfully landed on the moon for NASA, which opened the door for more government contracts, including missions to the far side and south pole of the moon. The company's forecasting revenues this year to be between $420 and $450 million, which would be nearly triple last year's revenues. So that has …” “… about some stocks making moves today. Shares of Firefly Aerospace are popping after the rocket company reported a surprise earnings beat and showed real signs that it's turning a corner. Firefly more than doubled its revenue last year to about $160 million. The company's starting to see some momentum. their Alpha Rocket, which is their core product and competes with companies like Rocket Lab and SpaceX, finally had a successful launch last week after some earlier setbacks. On top of that, last year, the company's Blue Ghost Lunar Lander successfully landed on the moon for NASA, which opened the door for more government contracts, including missions to the far side and south pole of the moon. The company's forecasting revenues this year to be between $420 and $450 million, which would be nearly triple last year's revenues. So that has investors pretty excited and the stock is up around 6% this morning at the time of this recording. Now, on the flip side, Supermicro is getting absolutely destroyed today. Shares are down more than 25% in the pre-market after U.S. prosecutors charged three people linked to the company, including its co-founder, with smuggling billions of dollars worth of …” View more

Ridealong summary

Amazon is attempting to re-enter the smartphone market with an AI-integrated device, a decade after its Fire Phone disaster. This new strategy aims to enhance shopping and content consumption through Alexa, but skepticism remains about its viability against existing smartphones. Meanwhile, Supermicro faces a major stock crash due to smuggling charges related to AI chips, highlighting the risks in the tech industry.

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The Rundown · Amazon Working on AI Smartphone, Super Micro Founder Charged for Smuggling Nvidia Chips · Mar 20, 2026

Ridealong summary

Imagine if you could escape Earth and hang out with gay aliens on the moon! In a humorous conversation, two friends discuss the absurdity of space travel, the potential for alien life, and the hilarious consequences of being the first Asian on the moon. Their banter takes a wild turn as they contemplate the quirks of intergalactic friendships and the price of admission to such an adventure.

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This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von · #643 - Ray · Mar 03, 2026

“… of more granular data, which may still come to light, hopefully, that casts more light into exactly what Epstein wanted. of their 2013 meeting at SpaceX is interesting. And we don't know what the meeting was about. And I'm getting ahead of myself a little bit because we're skipping through the use of women to get to what he wants. But what we see is he's pursuing it because of the social cachet that Elon's stardom creates. I want to explore the first year a bit more and how they get to know one another. But briefly before we do that, what did we know about Elon Musk's relationship with Epstein …” “… a form of social currency. Other people in that network are asking about him. Other people are reflecting to Epstein that this guy is cool and doing amazing things and building a better future and doing things they want to be a part of. In the absence of more granular data, which may still come to light, hopefully, that casts more light into exactly what Epstein wanted. of their 2013 meeting at SpaceX is interesting. And we don't know what the meeting was about. And I'm getting ahead of myself a little bit because we're skipping through the use of women to get to what he wants. But what we see is he's pursuing it because of the social cachet that Elon's stardom creates. I want to explore the first year a bit more and how they get to know one another. But briefly before we do that, what did we know about Elon Musk's relationship with Epstein before these files were released? Like, you know, what was the degree of knowledge that we had about how they were connected? Not almost none. So so so as the files, one of the very earliest releases, there was like something that the house Dems released where it was like a schedule item of like Elon to the island, but it was very ambiguous. And …” View more

Ridealong summary

Elon Musk's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is more than just a footnote; it highlights the social currency within elite circles. As Epstein recognized Musk's rising star, their interactions raise questions about the hidden motives and connections of the powerful. The recent release of documents unveils a puzzling meeting between them, emphasizing the intrigue surrounding their ties.

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Tech Won't Save Us · Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein w/ Ed Niedermeyer · Mar 19, 2026

Ridealong summary

In space, cooling computer chips is a major challenge that limits performance. Unlike Earth, where advanced cooling solutions are available, space requires exotic methods to manage heat in high-density chip designs. This difference significantly impacts how companies like NVIDIA and Google scale their processing power in extreme environments.

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Dwarkesh Podcast · Dylan Patel — Deep Dive on the 3 Big Bottlenecks to Scaling AI Compute · Mar 13, 2026

“So you Jersey Mike's heads out there, they do very well in the App Store. I like the sandwiches. SpaceX is in 94. Discord is also sitting at 63%. Oh, Discord. What a crazy story. I love Jason Citrin so much, the founder. But he is out, I think. And he's just a wild, wild founder story. I made a whole video about it. It's a lot of fun. We've got to hit the mansion section. One last note on AI before we move on to the really important thing, real estate. OpenAI has surpassed $100 million in annualized run rate. $100 million ARR. Pilot launched six …” “So you Jersey Mike's heads out there, they do very well in the App Store. I like the sandwiches. SpaceX is in 94. Discord is also sitting at 63%. Oh, Discord. What a crazy story. I love Jason Citrin so much, the founder. But he is out, I think. And he's just a wild, wild founder story. I made a whole video about it. It's a lot of fun. We've got to hit the mansion section. One last note on AI before we move on to the really important thing, real estate. OpenAI has surpassed $100 million in annualized run rate. $100 million ARR. Pilot launched six weeks ago. It's expanded to 600 advertisers and plans to launch self-serve advertiser access in April. I am close to setting up a new account and or just churning momentarily so that I get to experience the ads. You know I love ads. I mean, the first ad being for the Wall Street Journal that we know and love is a very good omen. Clearly, …” View more

Ridealong summary

OpenAI has impressively surpassed a $100 million annualized run rate, marking a significant milestone in its growth. This surge is driven by the recent launch of Pilot, which has rapidly expanded to 600 advertisers and plans to introduce self-serve access soon. The collaboration with prominent brands like the Wall Street Journal signals a promising future for AI in advertising.

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TBPN · Novartis Buys Excellergy for $2B, Anthropic Vs. Pentagon, The Mansion Section | Diet TBPN · Mar 28, 2026

“… holds, known as the net asset value. Correct. The Destiny Tech 100 closed end fund avoids the 15% rule entirely and holds a significant portion of SpaceX, but it currently trades at a 41% premium to the actual value of its underlying assets. Yeah, it does. Paying a 41% premium is absurd. It is exactly like paying $140 for a $100 bill just because you like the serial number on it. You are paying purely for the hype of owning the asset, not the actual fundamental value of the company's balance sheet. I actually see the logic in it from a different angle. Really? In the highly restricted private …” “… the open market between buyers and sellers based purely on supply and demand. And because the number of shares is permanently fixed, the price you pay on the open market can disconnect wildly from the actual mathematical value of the assets the fund holds, known as the net asset value. Correct. The Destiny Tech 100 closed end fund avoids the 15% rule entirely and holds a significant portion of SpaceX, but it currently trades at a 41% premium to the actual value of its underlying assets. Yeah, it does. Paying a 41% premium is absurd. It is exactly like paying $140 for a $100 bill just because you like the serial number on it. You are paying purely for the hype of owning the asset, not the actual fundamental value of the company's balance sheet. I actually see the logic in it from a different angle. Really? In the highly restricted private market, some investors willingly and rationally pay that hype tax just to guarantee they have a seat at the table. I guess so. When an asset is this exclusive and tightly controlled by massive institutions, there is no discount rack available for the retail investor. The premium functions as the necessary cost of admission. Right. These investors are …” View more

Ridealong summary

Investors in SpaceX-focused ETFs face a shocking dilemma: they may be forced to sell their shares just before the IPO due to regulatory rules. This leads to a scenario where fund managers must liquidate their top-performing assets at unfavorable terms, limiting potential gains. In contrast, closed-end funds bypass these limitations but often trade at inflated premiums, raising the stakes for investors.

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Elon Musk Podcast · How to buy SpaceX Stock before IPO · Mar 12, 2026

“… rocket he's saying basically that's so rare you never see a reused rocket yeah and then elon goes congratulations but perhaps not the rarest because spacex has done that six times if we're counting suborbital hops and then it was just like kind of like your your rocket doesn't go high enough and then when elon did it like a month later, Basil's like, congratulations to Elon, a really excellent suborbital launch. One of the best suborbital launches. And Elon was like, fuck you, dude. It was so high, but technically, yes, was still suborbital. And they've been basically going back and forth with …” “be like oh my god we did it i'm standing next to one of the the perhaps the rarest item on earth a reusable rocket or a reused rocket a reused rocket he's saying basically that's so rare you never see a reused rocket yeah and then elon goes congratulations but perhaps not the rarest because spacex has done that six times if we're counting suborbital hops and then it was just like kind of like your your rocket doesn't go high enough and then when elon did it like a month later, Basil's like, congratulations to Elon, a really excellent suborbital launch. One of the best suborbital launches. And Elon was like, fuck you, dude. It was so high, but technically, yes, was still suborbital. And they've been basically going back and forth with these like congratulations, but, and I just kind of love it. I love it. I love the pettiness.” View more

Ridealong summary

In a hilarious exchange, Elon Musk mocks a colleague for calling a SpaceX suborbital rocket launch 'one of the best,' while teasing that it wasn't truly impressive. The banter highlights the competitive spirit within SpaceX, as Musk playfully downplays the achievement despite its significance. This back-and-forth showcases not just the innovation of reusable rockets, but also the camaraderie and humor among the team.

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My First Million · The Simplest Way To Make $1M In 2026 · Mar 11, 2026

“Right now on Polymarket, the odds of SpaceX going public through an IPO in 2026 are sitting at around 86%. But here's where it gets interesting. The odds that SpaceX would be valued above 1 trillion at IPO, that's been hovering around 91%. So the market is telling you it's fairly certain SpaceX will IPO in 2026 at a valuation well above $1 trillion on day one. That's incredibly useful signal if you're thinking about investing in space adjacent companies on the broader tech ecosystem And …” “Right now on Polymarket, the odds of SpaceX going public through an IPO in 2026 are sitting at around 86%. But here's where it gets interesting. The odds that SpaceX would be valued above 1 trillion at IPO, that's been hovering around 91%. So the market is telling you it's fairly certain SpaceX will IPO in 2026 at a valuation well above $1 trillion on day one. That's incredibly useful signal if you're thinking about investing in space adjacent companies on the broader tech ecosystem And like Austin alluded to earlier, this is real money, real people betting on an outcome, not like the old days where you'd bet on free stocks and you had free money stock portfolios that you didn't suffer if you were wrong. So that's why I love it so much. No, I think it's a great example, Robert. And something I love most about this is it sort of …” View more

Ridealong summary

Prediction markets are revealing that SpaceX's IPO in 2026 is almost certain, with a valuation above $1 trillion. This real-time data helps investors make informed decisions, contrasting gut feelings with actual market probabilities, and closing the information gap between Wall Street and Main Street.

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Rich Habits Podcast · 160: Why Prediction Markets Matter To You · Mar 09, 2026

“… itself. And so they always had the plan to build a special spacecraft that will push it in the Pacific. And that's called a U.S. de-orbit vehicle. SpaceX won that contract. I think NASA is hoping to get it there, you know, two or three years before the retirement of the ISS. The current retirement date is the end of 2030. There's discussion now to extend it to 32, but somewhere in that region. So it will be there, ready to go, especially if there's a safety issue or something like that, and to do testing. And then they will just push it, you know, with some delta V, some propulsion, to …” “Yeah, it's interesting. When they design a space station, they sort of plan that, right? Like they don't have the ability to de-orbit itself. And so they always had the plan to build a special spacecraft that will push it in the Pacific. And that's called a U.S. de-orbit vehicle. SpaceX won that contract. I think NASA is hoping to get it there, you know, two or three years before the retirement of the ISS. The current retirement date is the end of 2030. There's discussion now to extend it to 32, but somewhere in that region. So it will be there, ready to go, especially if there's a safety issue or something like that, and to do testing. And then they will just push it, you know, with some delta V, some propulsion, to eventually it will re-enter in a pretty interesting display, if there was anyone there, to a place called Point Nemo in the Pacific. I think NASA is expecting to decrew it nominally, meaning not in an emergency scenario due to the aging, maybe a year ahead of that, but I don't know the exact date. Well, hopefully we can get a camera there and live stream it …” View more

Ridealong summary

NASA is preparing for a dramatic de-orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030, using a special SpaceX vehicle to safely guide it into the Pacific Ocean. This plan includes testing and potential live streaming of the event, promising a spectacular display as the ISS re-enters Earth's atmosphere. With preparations underway, the ISS's retirement could be an unforgettable moment in space history.

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TBPN · Daniel Gross’s AGI Trades, SpaceX’s $1.75T IPO, Google Silences Sweeney | Mark Gurman, Dan Primack, Cameron McCord, Max Haot, Christian Howell · Mar 05, 2026

“… have ever been done to date match supply and demand the way you would in a direct listing. Let's fast forward for the rest of the year. Let's say SpaceX goes public. What should retail investors be wary of? SpaceX is a way different beast than Figma. Yeah. I mean, one thing that's been true in the past, this was true of Uber, these really, really, really big IPOs, they're so large that it's harder to game the system. It's harder to underprice them. You need too much Like if they go public where are they going to raise in the offering you know 20 billion or something And the people that stand up …” “… be behind it, is to let stocks trade on-chain when the markets are closed. And that just gets you in a position to where you could theoretically think about doing an on-chain offering. And as I already mentioned, all of the initial coin offerings that have ever been done to date match supply and demand the way you would in a direct listing. Let's fast forward for the rest of the year. Let's say SpaceX goes public. What should retail investors be wary of? SpaceX is a way different beast than Figma. Yeah. I mean, one thing that's been true in the past, this was true of Uber, these really, really, really big IPOs, they're so large that it's harder to game the system. It's harder to underprice them. You need too much Like if they go public where are they going to raise in the offering you know 20 billion or something And the people that stand up and say they going to do it they need them to be able to write the checks And so I think people get more conservative on these bigger deals. I think you're likely to see a pop. What about for a retail investor? It's just hard. I mean, I haven't seen the financials. And so I'd really want to wait and see those before I opine. Like, I don't know if …” View more

Ridealong summary

Investors should be cautious about the upcoming SpaceX IPO, as it may be harder to game the system due to its size. Unlike smaller IPOs, where shares can be underpriced, SpaceX's offering could see a significant price pop, but retail investors need to wait for financials before making any decisions. With the market being highly speculative, especially in the AI sector, a conservative approach is advisable.

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Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin · Legendary Venture Capitalist Bill Gurley on the AI Bubble, Why IPOs Feel Rigged and How to Find Your Dream Job · Mar 04, 2026

Ridealong summary

President Trump has directed the government to release all files related to UFOs and extraterrestrials, igniting public interest. In a recent conference, General Stephen Whiting of U.S. Space Command revealed that, despite his extensive experience, he has never encountered anything unmanmade in space but is eager to see the upcoming files. This raises questions about what the government might be hiding and the nature of unidentified aerial phenomena.

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Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast · High On CCAs, B-21, Space & More—The AFA Warfare Debrief · Mar 03, 2026

“… can get up to speed in, you know, a matter of minutes. And that's a huge, huge unlock for Impulse and also just helping them move faster. Joined SpaceX back in 2015, worked on a lot of the propellant load sequence for Falcon 9, which is, you know, I was like prior to that working on, you know, robots in a lab, very low consequence. You do something wrong, you just break your robot and you have to go fix it. But yeah, this was really my first, you know, experience with really high consequence control software. And it was an incredible experience for like, I mean, SpaceX just gives so much …” “… you know, standing at one of their test platform or test systems and just, you know, just ripping on writing test software. And so I think that's really, you know, enabling engineers to be much more self-sufficient, you know, even like interns it seems can get up to speed in, you know, a matter of minutes. And that's a huge, huge unlock for Impulse and also just helping them move faster. Joined SpaceX back in 2015, worked on a lot of the propellant load sequence for Falcon 9, which is, you know, I was like prior to that working on, you know, robots in a lab, very low consequence. You do something wrong, you just break your robot and you have to go fix it. But yeah, this was really my first, you know, experience with really high consequence control software. And it was an incredible experience for like, I mean, SpaceX just gives so much responsibility to the RE. I was like, I think I'd been there for one year and I was designing like the control algorithm for how SpaceX accomplishes this new scheme. It's called Load and Go. It's how you and it's like loading propellants in the vehicle at basically the last second because that enables it to be as cold as possible and then as dense as …” View more

Ridealong summary

At SpaceX, interns can write control software in just 15 minutes, thanks to a new platform called Revel. This innovation allows engineers to be self-sufficient and speeds up operations significantly. The stakes are high, as one mistake in the control code could mean losing an entire launch site.

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Sourcery · From SpaceX to $1B in 15 Months: Scott Morton’s Revel Story · Feb 26, 2026

Ridealong summary

In the next decade, your kids could commute to space for work, but this future comes with risks of exploitation and environmental concerns. As private companies push for space access, there’s a pressing need for ethical frameworks to prevent a gold rush mentality that could lead to a dystopian reality on the moon. Organizations like the Aurelia Institute are advocating for principled policies to ensure space remains a shared commons, not a corporate playground.

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TechStuff · More AI in Space Than on Earth? Really!? · Feb 20, 2026

“… person on the planet, at least from our standpoint, in the United States, when it comes to this, which is Elon. Because you're talking about SpaceX and Starlink, nevermind XAI. I mean, are there other people out there besides him? I mean, maybe Jeff Bezos? Well, no, and I actually love that question because when I say people went to the school of Elon Musk, I think that Elon's most important contribution to this country is training two generations of engineers, really over 20 years, on how to work with their hands again. We had lost that capability in the US. And again, the pendulum had …” “are very much thinking that the infrastructure in space to fight the theaters on the ground is actually where we need to be spending the most time. I mean, it sounds like there's one most important person on the planet, at least from our standpoint, in the United States, when it comes to this, which is Elon. Because you're talking about SpaceX and Starlink, nevermind XAI. I mean, are there other people out there besides him? I mean, maybe Jeff Bezos? Well, no, and I actually love that question because when I say people went to the school of Elon Musk, I think that Elon's most important contribution to this country is training two generations of engineers, really over 20 years, on how to work with their hands again. We had lost that capability in the US. And again, the pendulum had moved so far to software that we didn't have someone who was thinking from first principles of how do you actually build as quickly as you possibly can and build in new ways and capabilities that didn't exist before? You don't learn it at university. I mean, you certainly don't learn it at one of the existing primes, where they're given a list of …” View more

Ridealong summary

Elon Musk's influence has transformed engineering, training generations of engineers to build innovatively and efficiently. His approach, emphasizing production and manufacturing integration, is evident in companies like SpaceX and Palantir, where former employees apply these principles to develop groundbreaking technologies like hypersonic weapons. This shift is reshaping how engineers think and work in the U.S.

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The a16z Show · WSJ x a16z: The Next 25 Years of Defense Innovation · Feb 17, 2026

“… it if we had cheaper ticket prices and I wouldn't have to pay 25, 30% on random fees just to buy a concert ticket. Let's shift gears and talk about SpaceX. The SpaceX IPO is right around the corner. And according to a report from Reuters, the company is targeting a valuation of around $1.75 trillion, which would be the biggest IPO ever. Now according to the same report from Reuters SpaceX is leaning towards listing its shares on the NASDAQ exchange But as a condition of listing they want early inclusion in the NASDAQ 100 index which includes companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Amazon. This would be …” “… FTC into ticket resale practices. Now, Live Nation stock was up like 5% on Monday following the settlement news, but I wouldn't be surprised if the stock gives that back. There's still a lot of regulatory uncertainty here. Personally, I would love it if we had cheaper ticket prices and I wouldn't have to pay 25, 30% on random fees just to buy a concert ticket. Let's shift gears and talk about SpaceX. The SpaceX IPO is right around the corner. And according to a report from Reuters, the company is targeting a valuation of around $1.75 trillion, which would be the biggest IPO ever. Now according to the same report from Reuters SpaceX is leaning towards listing its shares on the NASDAQ exchange But as a condition of listing they want early inclusion in the NASDAQ 100 index which includes companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Amazon. This would be pretty unusual because normally newly public companies have to wait up to a year before they can join a major index. But NASDAQ is proposing a new rule that would allow mega cap IPOs like SpaceX to enter the index in just a few weeks if they're large enough. And that's a big deal because once a company gets added to a major index, every index fund …” View more

Ridealong summary

Ticketmaster's parent company, Live Nation, has reached a tentative settlement with the Department of Justice over antitrust allegations, allowing venues to use multiple ticket providers and capping service fees at 15%. This settlement comes after accusations of monopolistic practices, but some state attorneys general argue it doesn’t go far enough, pushing for a full breakup of the company. Meanwhile, the anticipation for SpaceX's upcoming IPO is building, targeting a valuation of $1.75 trillion, potentially the largest ever.

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The Rundown · Oil Prices Pull Back, Live Nation Settles Major Antitrust Case · Mar 10, 2026

“Yeah, man. I mean, the one thing I'll say here is it's not XAI, it's SpaceX. So SpaceX just dropped an API. SpaceX, is it X or XAI got X and then SpaceX got XAI. So now SpaceX has X and XAI within it. That's right. It's the only rocket company with a social media company. Yeah. I know. It's truly one of a kind. Well, that is it for all the crazy news this week. On to something a bit more typical, I guess, for this podcast. Applications and business. First up, we've got a few stories about companies hitting big …” “Yeah, man. I mean, the one thing I'll say here is it's not XAI, it's SpaceX. So SpaceX just dropped an API. SpaceX, is it X or XAI got X and then SpaceX got XAI. So now SpaceX has X and XAI within it. That's right. It's the only rocket company with a social media company. Yeah. I know. It's truly one of a kind. Well, that is it for all the crazy news this week. On to something a bit more typical, I guess, for this podcast. Applications and business. First up, we've got a few stories about companies hitting big valuations. 11Labs, I think we covered previously that they were doing this raise. Now it looks like they finished the raise. They raised $500 million, reached an $11 billion valuation, more than triple of the $3.3 billion from just a year ago. 11Labs, as a refresher, does text-to-audio primarily. All sorts of text-to-audio. They do speech generation. They …” View more

Ridealong summary

SpaceX just launched a groundbreaking API, making it the only rocket company with ties to a social media platform. Meanwhile, 11Labs has skyrocketed to an $11 billion valuation after raising $500 million, showcasing the growing importance of text-to-audio technology in various industries. This reflects a significant shift in startup valuations and the tech landscape.

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Last Week in AI · #235 - Opus 4.6, GPT-5.3-codex, Seedance 2.0, GLM-5 · Feb 16, 2026

“… and be neck and neck with open AI. So I believe they'll probably be similarly valued. So if they're going to be worth 900 billion and XAI as part of SpaceX is worth 2 trillion I need to be in that group not in the robotics group you know competing with just Optimus head to head and the Chinese companies I want to be part of the bigger sack And part of that is, you know, OpenAI and Claude will get into robotics. So we need to get into their business now and just, you know, kind of put us in that competitive set. A lot of times founders and CEOs and boards will be like, hey, wait a second, let's …” “… our robots okay fair enough you make your own um cynical take uh which would be hey the valuations of open AI, the valuation of Claude, you know, getting to 800 billion, 400 billion, I'm sure Claude's next valuation will go from 350 billion to 800 and be neck and neck with open AI. So I believe they'll probably be similarly valued. So if they're going to be worth 900 billion and XAI as part of SpaceX is worth 2 trillion I need to be in that group not in the robotics group you know competing with just Optimus head to head and the Chinese companies I want to be part of the bigger sack And part of that is, you know, OpenAI and Claude will get into robotics. So we need to get into their business now and just, you know, kind of put us in that competitive set. A lot of times founders and CEOs and boards will be like, hey, wait a second, let's rewrite the rules here. Let's be in that set. actually jake for you with your robotics company if you said hey we have our own proprietary llm just for maintenance it would increase your valuation it would be another asset i would look at it as an investor or a board member or just a market participant as oh wow they're going to power other robots …” View more

Ridealong summary

Chasing validation and mimicking successful companies can lead to mediocrity instead of excellence. Founders must focus on delivering core value to customers rather than getting lost in the hype of market trends. True success comes from hard work and a commitment to meaningful contributions, not just flashy announcements.

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This Week in Startups · $2.5B Chip Heist, The Future of American AI, and Purpose-Built Robots | This Week in AI Ep 6 · Mar 25, 2026

Ridealong summary

Chamath Palihapitiya's SPAC performance is being heavily criticized, especially as companies like Anthropic show significant market movement. Despite initial skepticism about its valuation, Anthropic's stock surged by 17%, leading to a reevaluation of its worth. This situation raises questions about the investment strategies of billionaires in the tech space and whether they can consistently pick winners.

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The Paul Barron Crypto Show · UNHINGED Media Fighting Against Yields & Privacy?🚨WTF!_ · Mar 06, 2026

“In the long reads this week, the FT takes a look at SpaceX's potential IPO later this year, which reportedly aims to raise up to $50 billion at a $1.75 trillion valuation, more than seven times higher than its around $200 billion valuation from October of 2024, and also like one of the biggest IPOs of all time ever. Quote, with these numbers and with the SpaceX and XAI combination happening almost concurrently with the expected IPO, investors must make comic book heroic assumptions about sustained …” “In the long reads this week, the FT takes a look at SpaceX's potential IPO later this year, which reportedly aims to raise up to $50 billion at a $1.75 trillion valuation, more than seven times higher than its around $200 billion valuation from October of 2024, and also like one of the biggest IPOs of all time ever. Quote, with these numbers and with the SpaceX and XAI combination happening almost concurrently with the expected IPO, investors must make comic book heroic assumptions about sustained hyper growth to justify a $1.75 trillion market cap. The media have been guided to expect 2026 revenues of $22 to $24 billion, and given the likely mid-year timing, investors will be pointed to 2027 projections, presumably with even punchier year-over-year growth. Even taking those forecasts at face value, we are aware of no serious company ever having …” View more

Ridealong summary

SpaceX's upcoming IPO may aim for a staggering $50 billion at a $1.75 trillion valuation, raising eyebrows over its ambitious growth projections. Analysts suggest that investors must embrace 'comic book heroic assumptions' to justify this valuation, especially with Elon Musk's brand and lack of competitors in play. Meanwhile, a startup proposes using submerged data centers in the ocean, potentially solving cooling and location issues while introducing new challenges.

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Tech Brew Ride Home · Silicon Valley Circling The Wagons Around Anthropic? · Mar 06, 2026

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