Ridealong has curated the best and most interesting podcasts and clips about SpaceX.
Top Podcast Clips About SpaceX
“… 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.
The Why Files: Operation Podcast·637: Basement #008: Avi Loeb | 3I Atlas, Alien Craft, and Suppressed Research·Mar 23, 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
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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.
Limitless Podcast·Elon Musk's Terafab: The Impossible Plan for a Galactic Civilization·Mar 23, 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.
The Vergecast·The MacBook Neo is a winner·Mar 13, 2026
“… of who can run a marathon faster, so I'm up first. And my Stock of the Week is the AI coding startup Cursor, who is the bell of the AI ball after SpaceX secured the right to acquire it for $60 billion later this year. The deal feels a lot like a high school relationship where both parties are just trying to figure out if the other likes it or not. Kurser will bring its well-liked coding product to the XAI arm of SpaceX, while SpaceX will provide its Colossus supercomputer to give Kurser some much-needed horsepower in the compute department. And if things don't work out, SpaceX will pay $10 …”“It's Stock of the Week, Dog of the Week time, the segment where Neil and I pick one stock that goes out of its way to make dinner plans with friends and one stock that shuts out the people that care about it most. I won the pre-show game of who can run a marathon faster, so I'm up first. And my Stock of the Week is the AI coding startup Cursor, who is the bell of the AI ball after SpaceX secured the right to acquire it for $60 billion later this year. The deal feels a lot like a high school relationship where both parties are just trying to figure out if the other likes it or not. Kurser will bring its well-liked coding product to the XAI arm of SpaceX, while SpaceX will provide its Colossus supercomputer to give Kurser some much-needed horsepower in the compute department. And if things don't work out, SpaceX will pay $10 billion for their work together, but won't be on the hook for the rest of the 60. Cursor was the hottest coding startup last year, but markets have shifted a little bit. In-house tools like OpenAI's Codex and Anthropics' Cloud Code are now much more popular, which leaves it on shaky footing, especially since it still runs on other companies' models to …”View more
Ridealong summary
SpaceX is set to acquire AI coding startup Cursor for a staggering $60 billion, merging cutting-edge technology with ambitious space exploration goals. Cursor, which has quickly risen to prominence, will leverage SpaceX's supercomputing power while providing innovative coding solutions, creating a unique partnership that could reshape both industries. If the deal falters, SpaceX will still pay $10 billion for their collaboration, highlighting the high stakes involved.
Morning Brew Daily·US Soldier Caught Betting in Maduro Raid & Marijuana Reclassified as Less Dangerous·Apr 24, 2026
“But new opportunity and all in the pursuit of vertical integration. And so SpaceX has closely guarded its financials as it prepares for what will likely be the largest IPO of all time. The last figure shows that investors who participate in the IPO will essentially be financing Musk's unproven AI ambitions in order to get a piece of high-performing commercial space and telecom firm. But that's sort of been the Tesla model for a long time. Elon has always had multiple irons in the fire, one project that's working and …”“But new opportunity and all in the pursuit of vertical integration. And so SpaceX has closely guarded its financials as it prepares for what will likely be the largest IPO of all time. The last figure shows that investors who participate in the IPO will essentially be financing Musk's unproven AI ambitions in order to get a piece of high-performing commercial space and telecom firm. But that's sort of been the Tesla model for a long time. Elon has always had multiple irons in the fire, one project that's working and producing cash flow and growing to finance the next piece of innovation. Ashley Vance has an interesting deep dive on the Tesla semi-truck factory. he went and saw it rolling off the factory line, which was one of those projects that has been rumored for a very long time, announced a very long time ago, but seems to be getting off the ground. Tesla's spent …”View more
Ridealong summary
AI advancements are reshaping industries with both opportunities and challenges, particularly in legal and employment sectors, as companies like XAI push boundaries and face regulatory hurdles.
SpaceX's core business is highly profitable, generating nearly $8 billion in EBITDA, showcasing its strong financial health and successful integration of its rocket launch and Starlink divisions.
The Artemis II mission's success is a historic milestone, but SpaceX's financial losses from AI spending complicate the narrative of a booming space economy.
SpaceX's financial health is robust despite a significant loss due to AI spending, highlighting the company's resilience and strategic investments.
SpaceX's IPO is seen as a way to finance Elon Musk's broader ambitions, with its core business being solidly profitable but also intertwined with speculative ventures.
SpaceX's potential IPO is seen as a strategic move to fund Elon Musk's broader ambitions, leveraging its profitable space operations to finance new ventures.
TBPN·SpaceX Financials, Does AI Increase Unemployment or Leisure, Chimp Civil War | Diet TBPN·Apr 10, 2026
“… initiate it. So from my understanding, and this is kind of what intuitively makes sense, is Sam Altman wants to get out as soon as possible. We know SpaceX recently just filed for their IPO. It was privately, but it's going to happen sometime around June. They're going to come out of the gates first. They're going to raise $75 billion at a $1.75 trillion valuation. That's going to absorb a lot of money from the market. There's still a lot of enthusiasm for AI companies. OpenAI surely wants to get there first. I can't imagine a world in which you wouldn't want to be ahead of Anthropic when the …”“… to get the biggest IPO ever. Well, there has been PR and it hasn't been very positive because it appears as if Sam Altman has been fighting with the CFO of the company, Sarah Fryer, as it relates to the IPO timing and how they're actually going to initiate it. So from my understanding, and this is kind of what intuitively makes sense, is Sam Altman wants to get out as soon as possible. We know SpaceX recently just filed for their IPO. It was privately, but it's going to happen sometime around June. They're going to come out of the gates first. They're going to raise $75 billion at a $1.75 trillion valuation. That's going to absorb a lot of money from the market. There's still a lot of enthusiasm for AI companies. OpenAI surely wants to get there first. I can't imagine a world in which you wouldn't want to be ahead of Anthropic when the resource that matters the most to scaling is capital. Now Sarah Fryer is kind of E to your point that you were mentioning earlier she a little bit more cautiously optimistic where she like hey guys we have a lot of money We just raised a ton of money. Our problem isn't actually raising money, it's deploying it effectively. And we haven't proven that we …”View more
Ridealong summary
OpenAI's IPO plans are driven by a need for capital to scale, but there's skepticism about whether this is just hype to achieve a massive valuation.
OpenAI's massive funding and upcoming IPO may be more about PR and market timing than actual need, with internal debates on capital deployment effectiveness.
OpenAI's potential IPO is driven by a need for capital to scale AI, but there's skepticism about whether it's more PR hype than necessity.
OpenAI's massive fundraising and potential IPO are seen as both a strategic necessity for scaling AI and a risky move that could be driven by hype rather than sustainable demand.
Limitless Podcast·OpenAI Has Been Losing Its Edge to Anthropic. But Not For Long.·Apr 07, 2026
“… dollars and hopes to raise 75 billion dollars in the offering that would make it the largest IPO in history? Earlier this year, Musk merged XAI into SpaceX, which had already absorbed the social media platform X, which begs the question, will Tesla be the next Musk property to join the SpaceX conglomerate? Lots of questions here. Here to help us break it down, we are joined by John McNeil, CEO of DVX Ventures, former Tesla president, GM board member, and author of the new book, The Algorithm. John, good to see you. I'm going to get right into this here. You just published a book called The …”“information the company aims to file its ipo prospectus imminently it's reportedly targeting a valuation of 1.75 trillion dollars and hopes to raise 75 billion dollars in the offering that would make it the largest IPO in history? Earlier this year, Musk merged XAI into SpaceX, which had already absorbed the social media platform X, which begs the question, will Tesla be the next Musk property to join the SpaceX conglomerate? Lots of questions here. Here to help us break it down, we are joined by John McNeil, CEO of DVX Ventures, former Tesla president, GM board member, and author of the new book, The Algorithm. John, good to see you. I'm going to get right into this here. You just published a book called The Algorithm. It's basically about how Elon built both Tesla and SpaceX. And now SpaceX could be going public. It could be the largest IPO in history. As someone who has worked with Elon and someone who's written about this company, what do you make of this company now going public? The basis of the approach in the algorithm is simplicity, and that's Elon's …”View more
Ridealong summary
The potential merger of SpaceX and Tesla could simplify operations and align AI resources, but the IPO might complicate regulatory matters.
SpaceX's trillion-dollar valuation is driven more by hype and retail investor enthusiasm than by solid financial fundamentals.
Prof G Markets·Big Tech Is Now Advising the White House — What Could Go Wrong?·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
The SpaceX IPO will be a significant test for the markets, with many large startups watching closely to see if it sets a precedent for their own public offerings.
Sourcery·Inside Marc Andreessen & Ben Horowitz’s Multi-Family Office·Mar 27, 2026
“I see you nodding, Chandler. Yeah, I'm trying to think about, again, I think Turner and I live the same life. Just a couple years ahead. I started SpaceX when I was 18 years old. Like that was when I first entered the doors into the fun candy land that was SpaceX and it was the dream, right? And I told myself from day one that I'm going to be a sponge. Like I want to be the biggest sponge I possibly can to absorb as much freaking information from all these amazing people as I can. That's not an internship limited thing. That's a forever thing. I'm still doing it today. But I think, yeah, a lot …”“I see you nodding, Chandler. Yeah, I'm trying to think about, again, I think Turner and I live the same life. Just a couple years ahead. I started SpaceX when I was 18 years old. Like that was when I first entered the doors into the fun candy land that was SpaceX and it was the dream, right? And I told myself from day one that I'm going to be a sponge. Like I want to be the biggest sponge I possibly can to absorb as much freaking information from all these amazing people as I can. That's not an internship limited thing. That's a forever thing. I'm still doing it today. But I think, yeah, a lot of how I approached it and how I think people should approach it generally. Not just if they're going to a SpaceX or a Tesla, but they should really approach this from a, how can I surround myself with the best people in the world and work on a project from start to finish and do those reps, like what Turner was saying. I will caveat that, though, …”View more
Ridealong summary
Before launching a startup, having a strong technical foundation is crucial. Chandler Luzsicza, who started at SpaceX at 18, emphasizes that being a 'sponge' for knowledge and surrounding yourself with the right people can make all the difference. He warns that without technical expertise, navigating the complexities of building a company is significantly more challenging.
The a16z Show·The SpaceX and Tesla Playbook for Hard Tech Startups·Mar 27, 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's potential IPO announcement is seen as a significant market event, with speculation about its timing and ticker symbol reflecting Elon Musk's characteristic humor.
TBPN·Benchmark's Future, SpaceX IPO, RIP Sora | Mike Knoop, Nathan Benaich, Rohin Dhar, Eric Jorgenson, Jenny Just, and Matt Hulsizer·Mar 25, 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.
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
“you would pull it forward by delivering some of that pre-made because it's just one extra space, SpaceX launch to get up there and then have, you know, a CNC machine or something. I don't know, whatever you put up there. Like, you're not going to go with nothing. So you're looking at another five years here at least You'll need dozens of dedicated cargo flights Just to get the several hundred ton system up there Then you need to assemble the track sections with humans Or more likely robotic crews Integrate the supply The power supply and cooling …”“you would pull it forward by delivering some of that pre-made because it's just one extra space, SpaceX launch to get up there and then have, you know, a CNC machine or something. I don't know, whatever you put up there. Like, you're not going to go with nothing. So you're looking at another five years here at least You'll need dozens of dedicated cargo flights Just to get the several hundred ton system up there Then you need to assemble the track sections with humans Or more likely robotic crews Integrate the supply The power supply and cooling systems Test everything rigorously Integration hell can take years But should overlap with some of the other milestones Lastly you need to shift into operational launches Your first payload needs to achieve escape velocity And at no point can a catastrophic failure result in permanent damage to the mass driver or the energy infrastructure. And …”View more
Ridealong summary
Constructing SpaceX's Lunar Mass Driver is a massive undertaking that could take over 50 years, requiring dozens of cargo flights and extensive testing. The process involves assembling a kilometer-long track, integrating power systems, and ensuring no catastrophic failures occur during launches. This ambitious project highlights the complexities of space infrastructure development.
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
“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.
TBPN·SpaceX’s Lunar Mass Driver, OpenAI Hires Meta’s Top Ad Exec, Zuck Builds CEO Agent | Diet TBPN·Mar 23, 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.
The a16z Show·Emil Michael: Iran, Anthropic and the Future of AI at the Pentagon·Mar 13, 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.
The a16z Show·Marc Andreessen on the Mindset of Great Founders — with David Senra·Mar 15, 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.
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 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.
Bankless·ROLLUP: Wartime Markets | Kraken Gets Fedwire | Trump vs Banks | AI vs Pentagon | NYT Says Crypto Is Dead·Mar 06, 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.
TechCrunch Daily Crunch·Spotify tests new tool to stop AI slop·Mar 26, 2026
“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
Ridealong summary
SpaceX's IPO is set to be a generational debut, potentially raising $75 billion and surpassing Saudi Aramco's record, reflecting immense confidence in Elon Musk's vision.
SpaceX's IPO is set to be a historic financial event, potentially raising $75 billion and surpassing Saudi Aramco's record, highlighting immense investor confidence in Elon Musk's vision.
Morning Brew Daily·SpaceX Files for Blockbuster IPO & Nike Can’t Fix its Problems·Apr 02, 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.
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.
The Shawn Ryan Show·#287 Butch Wilmore - He Was Stranded in Space for 286 Days·Mar 12, 2026
“… massive purposes and he has this risk tolerance. And the combination of those things, I think is what pushes him. These two opportunities, Tesla and SpaceX being the biggest, were on nobody's radar. He looked absurd when he undertook them and he put hundreds of millions of dollars on the line to achieve these things because he was purpose-driven even though the odds were long and the risk was high is he that singular of an individual obviously spacex impressive tesla impressive doge kind of cool being on stage trump campaign twitter x rah rah you know how just how impressive is he or how singular …”“… because that's what would keep you pushing through. Yes. There's so many times that he has done things that seem insane from like a financial motivation point of view, or I'm trying to build a business or, and it's because he's driven by these massive purposes and he has this risk tolerance. And the combination of those things, I think is what pushes him. These two opportunities, Tesla and SpaceX being the biggest, were on nobody's radar. He looked absurd when he undertook them and he put hundreds of millions of dollars on the line to achieve these things because he was purpose-driven even though the odds were long and the risk was high is he that singular of an individual obviously spacex impressive tesla impressive doge kind of cool being on stage trump campaign twitter x rah rah you know how just how impressive is he or how singular is he as an individual i think he's pretty singular like do you not yeah i do but a lot of people that are detractors have found a way to say actually it's more to do with leverage and ridiculous risk tolerance and just sort of blowing through the boundaries that other people wouldn't it's to do with uh lack of scruples and being able to push …”View more
Ridealong summary
Eric Jorgenson reveals that his book, The Navalmanac, has sold nearly 2 million copies and been translated into 40 languages. Initially aimed at a niche audience of 'Navalnerds,' the book's unexpected popularity highlights its resonance with readers seeking purpose and success, particularly through the lens of Elon Musk's philosophy on risk and productivity.
Modern Wisdom·#1082 - Eric Jorgenson - The Wild Psychology of Elon Musk·Apr 09, 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 SpaceX IPO at a $1.5 trillion valuation raises concerns about the hyper-financialization of capital markets, questioning whether this aligns with true capitalist principles.
The potential SpaceX IPO at a $1.5 trillion valuation is a symptom of hyper-financialization that distorts true capitalism and market principles.
TFTC: A Bitcoin Podcast·#729: The Generational Liquidity Trap with Jeff Park·Mar 21, 2026
“… Space Mobile, Intuitive Machines, and Firefly are all up double digits since the Artemis 2 mission launched on April 1st. And then don't forget, the SpaceX IPO is also right around the corner. With everything”“… is now headed back towards Earth and should be landing in the Pacific Ocean sometime on April 10th. So yeah, space is hot right now. And funny enough, this mission has actually been a boost for space stocks as well. Shares of companies like AST Space Mobile, Intuitive Machines, and Firefly are all up double digits since the Artemis 2 mission launched on April 1st. And then don't forget, the SpaceX IPO is also right around the corner. With everything”View more
Ridealong summary
The Artemis II mission's success is driving a surge in space-related stocks and fueling anticipation for a SpaceX IPO.
The Artemis II mission is not only a historic achievement but also a catalyst for boosting space-related stocks and investor interest.
The Rundown·Broadcom Jumps on Google AI Deal, Health Insurers Surge on Medicare Boost·Apr 07, 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.
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von·#643 - Ray·Mar 03, 2026
“… believe that there's a chance, maybe a significant chance that this won't go through for whatever reason. But this is pretty notable because SpaceX is about to go public. And that's what everyone has been talking about at nearly a $2 trillion valuation. So the idea that they would then buy a company for $60 billion, which is a pretty big deal for a private company, a startup, it's a pretty big deal for any company. And they're doing this just months before they go public. And if this goes through, by the way, they're going to have to refile their S1. They're going to have to report new …”“And they're buying this thing for $60 billion. And they also have the option to pay $10 billion to work together if it doesn't work out, which essentially just means it's just a breakup fee, a $10 billion breakup fee, which means that they probably believe that there's a chance, maybe a significant chance that this won't go through for whatever reason. But this is pretty notable because SpaceX is about to go public. And that's what everyone has been talking about at nearly a $2 trillion valuation. So the idea that they would then buy a company for $60 billion, which is a pretty big deal for a private company, a startup, it's a pretty big deal for any company. And they're doing this just months before they go public. And if this goes through, by the way, they're going to have to refile their S1. They're going to have to report new financials, etc. So it's kind of a big deal in the IPO world because everyone's so excited for SpaceX to go public. This is going to be the largest IPO in history on various metrics. And now they're buying a company for $60 billion. That's a big deal. What do you make of it, Scott? Well, my understanding is what it feels like is there's definitely an …”View more
Ridealong summary
SpaceX's IPO is overshadowed by skepticism about its financial maneuvers and valuation claims, casting doubt on the authenticity of its $2 trillion valuation.
Elon Musk's promises for SpaceX and other ventures consistently outpace their performance, relying on hype rather than tangible results.
Prof G Markets·Two Months In: Why Markets Stopped Caring About Iran·Apr 27, 2026
“… but orders of magnitude. And so there's new engineering challenges. Speaking of space, it looks like Elon is going to use SPCX as a ticker for the SpaceX IPO, which he had to acquire from Matt Tuttle. Hence the ETF's ticker change shown below. Eric from Bloomberg says, we predicted this could happen in a December note. Nice catch by Will, who famously gave the meta ticker to Zuck. I did not know that Will Hershey had the meta ticker previously. So we know somebody that squats on. Who had the meta ticker? A guy named Will Hershey. Oh, interesting. There's a company called Roundhill. Huh. But we …”“… obviously a new challenge. But I think starting with the baseline of like there is compute happening in space right now. We're going to try and, I mean, Elon wants to like 1,000 exit, 100,000 exit, million exit. I don't even know what the scale is, but orders of magnitude. And so there's new engineering challenges. Speaking of space, it looks like Elon is going to use SPCX as a ticker for the SpaceX IPO, which he had to acquire from Matt Tuttle. Hence the ETF's ticker change shown below. Eric from Bloomberg says, we predicted this could happen in a December note. Nice catch by Will, who famously gave the meta ticker to Zuck. I did not know that Will Hershey had the meta ticker previously. So we know somebody that squats on. Who had the meta ticker? A guy named Will Hershey. Oh, interesting. There's a company called Roundhill. Huh. But we know somebody who's been – I thought it was Matt Ball. We had somebody here come in outside of show hours and say that they were squatting on a bunch of tickers. And the idea seems so – I think what might be the reality is that you actually – it needs to be further along than just reserved. I don't know that having it – You can go. If you're a …”View more
Ridealong summary
A corporate retreat for tech company Plex in Honduras spiraled into chaos from the moment they arrived, costing the company half a million dollars. With the CEO falling ill and unexpected challenges like military drills and rogue wildlife, employees faced a bonding experience like no other—one they'd never forget. This is the story of a retreat where nearly everything that could go wrong, did.
TBPN·Meta Tokenmaxxing, Intel Joins Terafab, Frontier AI vs. China | Diet TBPN·Apr 08, 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.
Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast·NASA's New Moonshot·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.
Sourcery·How VCX Put Anthropic & OpenAI Into Public Markets·Mar 30, 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
SpaceX's IPO is generating unprecedented retail investor interest, likened to Google's public market debut, reflecting immense confidence in Elon Musk.
SpaceX's strategy to allocate a significant portion of its IPO to retail investors reflects strong confidence in Elon Musk's leadership and the company's future prospects.
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.
Dwarkesh Podcast·Dylan Patel — Deep Dive on the 3 Big Bottlenecks to Scaling AI Compute·Mar 13, 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.
Tech Won't Save Us·Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein w/ Ed Niedermeyer·Mar 19, 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.
The Rundown·Amazon Working on AI Smartphone, Super Micro Founder Charged for Smuggling Nvidia Chips·Mar 20, 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.
This Week in Startups·The Drone Company Everyone Thought Was Illegal (Now Worth $4B+) | E2265·Mar 20, 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.
TBPN·Bezos' $100B AI Plan, Nvida Chip Smuggling, The Mansion Section | Diet TBPN·Mar 21, 2026
“… huge data centers. They need someone who could take advantage of all those GPUs. Hopefully, this will help serve that cause. And that's not the only SpaceX news this week. The other is that they have officially filed an S1, which for those who are not familiar, it means they're going public. It's officially official. 100% they will be going public this year. If there were any doubts, please let them be relinquished. Here we have it. SpaceX will be going public. The most interesting thing from this was I think the share structure of how they're going to be organizing this for Daddy Elon, who's …”“… $10 billion. Not a bad deal. Yeah, it seems like they're going to be continuing to work with other companies to accelerate in places that they're weak at currently because, I mean, they're so strong at building out the hardware and creating these huge data centers. They need someone who could take advantage of all those GPUs. Hopefully, this will help serve that cause. And that's not the only SpaceX news this week. The other is that they have officially filed an S1, which for those who are not familiar, it means they're going public. It's officially official. 100% they will be going public this year. If there were any doubts, please let them be relinquished. Here we have it. SpaceX will be going public. The most interesting thing from this was I think the share structure of how they're going to be organizing this for Daddy Elon, who's going to be getting quite a big payday if he does well. So we have on screen here just a series of some of the financials. I mean, we know Starlink as a business has been doing unbelievable. They have about $25 billion in cash, 92 billion assets, 50 billion liabilities. That's quite a lot of liabilities on this. My God. They got a lot of debt, man. I …”View more
Ridealong summary
SpaceX's IPO reveals a high-risk financial structure with significant liabilities, but also showcases Starlink's impressive cash reserves and potential for growth.
SpaceX's financials reveal significant debt, raising questions about its valuation and future profitability despite its impressive cash and asset holdings.
Limitless Podcast·THIS WEEK IN AI: Chat GPT-5.5 Beats Claude Mythos, SpaceX Cursor Rumors, Google's New TPU's·Apr 24, 2026
“… And then you have Elon Musk coming in, who is trying to sort of upset the apple cart even further. And I think as a background to all this, too, SpaceX, Elon Musk's SpaceX, reportedly filed confidentially for an IPO last week. So they are at a very momentous time. I think everyone's racing to hit the IPO market, whether it's OpenAI, SpaceX, Anthropic, and SpaceX out the door first. So a lot going on here. And Musk is betting that SpaceX will be valued at nearly $2 trillion, which would be the largest IPO in history. This, again, the backyard squabbles, it feels like so much more. How …”“… company, people coming back to the company. They had a big executive shakeup this week. They bought a podcast this week. It is all over the place. Shout out to TBPN, the other tech podcast. Yep, yep. But there's a lot of mess going around in general. And then you have Elon Musk coming in, who is trying to sort of upset the apple cart even further. And I think as a background to all this, too, SpaceX, Elon Musk's SpaceX, reportedly filed confidentially for an IPO last week. So they are at a very momentous time. I think everyone's racing to hit the IPO market, whether it's OpenAI, SpaceX, Anthropic, and SpaceX out the door first. So a lot going on here. And Musk is betting that SpaceX will be valued at nearly $2 trillion, which would be the largest IPO in history. This, again, the backyard squabbles, it feels like so much more. How incremental do you think is the back and forth, though, between the Musk and Altman camps? Does this actually mark a very big juncture in this case? Or not really, just something that you're paying close attention to? No, I feel like this is something where it's Elon trying to twist the knife a little bit more. I think using every opportunity to dig in and …”View more
Ridealong summary
The lawsuit between Musk and OpenAI is a dramatic clash of egos and business strategies, highlighting the messy and competitive nature of the AI industry.
OpenAI's current turmoil and leadership disputes highlight a messy and unstable environment that raises serious concerns about its governance and future direction.
SpaceX's confidential IPO filing comes at a momentous time, with the company poised to make a significant impact on the market.
Uncanny Valley | WIRED·OpenAI and Musk Fight Again; DOJ Mishandles Voter Data; Artemis II Comes Home·Apr 09, 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.
“… 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
The traditional wealth creation model has shifted, locking out regular investors from early growth opportunities in companies like SpaceX, but new financial vehicles are emerging to democratize access.
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.
My First Million·The Simplest Way To Make $1M In 2026·Mar 11, 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
SpaceX's IPO is driven by ambitious growth assumptions, but its market dominance and clear narrative could excite investors despite potential risks.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The a16z Show·WSJ x a16z: The Next 25 Years of Defense Innovation·Feb 17, 2026
“announced in March a team-up between the two tech companies he leads to develop chips for AI compute, satellites, and SpaceX's mooted space data center and to support the possibility of autonomous Tesla vehicles and robots. However, building a chip fab is one of the most difficult and expensive corporate infrastructure projects out there, typically requiring years of time and more than $20 billion to create a facility with a huge clean room for thousands of ultra-precise machines to carve silicon. It wasn't obvious how SpaceX and Tesla, two companies with no …”“announced in March a team-up between the two tech companies he leads to develop chips for AI compute, satellites, and SpaceX's mooted space data center and to support the possibility of autonomous Tesla vehicles and robots. However, building a chip fab is one of the most difficult and expensive corporate infrastructure projects out there, typically requiring years of time and more than $20 billion to create a facility with a huge clean room for thousands of ultra-precise machines to carve silicon. It wasn't obvious how SpaceX and Tesla, two companies with no experience in the sector, could team up to execute the project efficiently. Now, though, we have a better idea. Intel's gonna do it for him. The company has been hunting for large anchor customers to support its foundry business and now it has too. Still, if investors thought that TerraFab would be a green field approach based on SpaceX's and Tesla's …”View more
Ridealong summary
Intel is stepping in to help SpaceX and Tesla develop chips for AI and future space projects, a move that could reshape the chip manufacturing landscape. Despite initial doubts about their ability to execute such a complex project, Intel's involvement brings expertise and resources to the table. This partnership highlights the growing need for advanced semiconductor capabilities in the era of autonomous vehicles and space technology.
TechCrunch Daily Crunch·X is rolling out automatic translation and photo editing powered by Grok·Apr 09, 2026
“… progress through this Artemis program. So Artemis 3, which is scheduled for mid-2027, so a year from now, the crew is going to test docking with the SpaceX Starship or perhaps Blue Origin. But I would imagine that SpaceX is probably going to win over that contract. There's no way Bezos gets this. No way. Unlikely. Unlikely, but possible. They have the option. Then Artemis 4 is the big one that's happening in early 2028. And that's when we are targeting for the first lunar lander to actually land on the moon with human beings inside. So SpaceX is probably going to be handling that one. That's …”“and we're going to see that handoff happen as we progress through this Artemis program. So Artemis 3, which is scheduled for mid-2027, so a year from now, the crew is going to test docking with the SpaceX Starship or perhaps Blue Origin. But I would imagine that SpaceX is probably going to win over that contract. There's no way Bezos gets this. No way. Unlikely. Unlikely, but possible. They have the option. Then Artemis 4 is the big one that's happening in early 2028. And that's when we are targeting for the first lunar lander to actually land on the moon with human beings inside. So SpaceX is probably going to be handling that one. That's coming in two years. And then just a little bit later in the year, in the second half of 2028, there's going to be a second crew landing planned in which NASA is going to target twice per year landings on the moon going forward. And this is going to begin the production and the building of our lunar Mars base, which is really cool. I mean, NASA's …”View more
Ridealong summary
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.
SpaceX is poised to lead the charge in lunar colonization with Starship, outpacing NASA and Blue Origin in the race to establish a moon settlement by 2028.
The Artemis II mission is a crucial step towards establishing a permanent lunar base, with SpaceX playing a key role in reducing costs and advancing space infrastructure.
Limitless Podcast·NASA's Artemis II Launched, But It Should Have Been a SpaceX Mission·Apr 02, 2026
“… a lot of other beneficiaries out there in the ecosystem that could lead for entrepreneurship to be even better in the decades ahead because of SpaceX. Jason, you're always talking about getting more people to start companies and so forth. What do you think the liquidity effect will be on founder formation, if you will, in the next, I don't know, couple of years? I've been doing this job for decades now. Not a lot of people have worked with more startups than me. Over 600 investments. But honestly, Every.io might be the exception because Every.io is working with every new startup. It's the …”“You guys are the goat. You guys crush it. But I also think there's a lot of other beneficiaries out there in the ecosystem that could lead for entrepreneurship to be even better in the decades ahead because of SpaceX. Jason, you're always talking about getting more people to start companies and so forth. What do you think the liquidity effect will be on founder formation, if you will, in the next, I don't know, couple of years? I've been doing this job for decades now. Not a lot of people have worked with more startups than me. Over 600 investments. But honestly, Every.io might be the exception because Every.io is working with every new startup. It's the all-in-one finance, banking, and HR app. They understand startups, and they're now at over 1,000 startups. And that means first-time founders working on their pre-seed rounds, but also veteran teams who've raised a Series A or beyond. They can partner with Every, and they are. And why are they partnering with them? just to scale up their business, …”View more
Ridealong summary
SpaceX's IPO is expected to be one of the greatest wealth creation events in history, driven by its leadership in telecommunications and potential to create a parallel economy.
This Week in Startups·Venture Roundtable: SpaceX IPO, AI's PR Crisis, and the Defense Tech Bubble | E2270·Apr 01, 2026
“Help me understand on a SpaceX side, what could go wrong? It's space. You're launching rockets into space, and this is a good thing. You know, you launch the thing and you make it cheaper and you put satellites where they're supposed to be and we see the world and like what could go wrong at SpaceX? Well, this is now well after I've left SpaceX, but now SpaceX is one of the companies that is obviously a prime defense contractor. And part of the work you know that is now …”“Help me understand on a SpaceX side, what could go wrong? It's space. You're launching rockets into space, and this is a good thing. You know, you launch the thing and you make it cheaper and you put satellites where they're supposed to be and we see the world and like what could go wrong at SpaceX? Well, this is now well after I've left SpaceX, but now SpaceX is one of the companies that is obviously a prime defense contractor. And part of the work you know that is now unfolding is you know to obviously develop a new generation of weapons and infrastructure to enable the US to win future wars There are proposals such as Golden Dome the absolutely astonishing space-based missile defense system that Trump wants to build, which some estimates say will cost over a trillion dollars. SpaceX is going to be the primary …”View more
Ridealong summary
In this segment, Dex Hunter-Torricke discusses the troubling implications of AI and technology, particularly in the context of SpaceX's involvement in military contracts. He argues that instead of using technological advancements to promote peace, influential tech leaders are prioritizing profit and military power, which could lead to devastating societal consequences as AI evolves. The conversation highlights the urgent need for a shift in focus toward sustainable solutions rather than preparing for conflict.
What Now? with Trevor Noah·Dex Hunter-Torricke: Translating the Titans of Tech·Apr 09, 2026
“Polymarket says all this is faked. SpaceX acquiring Cursor, 74% chance. SpaceX IPO by the end of August, 80% chance. So this is happening, folks. All right, let's keep going. By the way, I think that deal structure is smart because, I mean, to Jamal's point, Yeah, it prevents the IPO process from being disrupted. Also, it kind of gives a huge motivation to these cursor guys to bust their ass and make it work over the next, I don't know, six months. Yeah, they have a $10 billion breakup …”“Polymarket says all this is faked. SpaceX acquiring Cursor, 74% chance. SpaceX IPO by the end of August, 80% chance. So this is happening, folks. All right, let's keep going. By the way, I think that deal structure is smart because, I mean, to Jamal's point, Yeah, it prevents the IPO process from being disrupted. Also, it kind of gives a huge motivation to these cursor guys to bust their ass and make it work over the next, I don't know, six months. Yeah, they have a $10 billion breakup fee, but I'm sure they want the deal to be successful. Well, the $10 billion breakup fee will go back to SpaceX anyways, because if they actually run the compute and they're not owned by SpaceX, they're going to have to pay for it. That is not cheap. I mean, we saw a bunch of these XAI co-founders leave after the acquisition by SpaceX. I don't …”View more
Ridealong summary
Elon Musk's recent tweet reveals that SpaceX is rebuilding its AI initiative, XAI, from the ground up after acknowledging it wasn't built correctly the first time. This transparency not only attracts top talent but also aligns teams across his companies, enhancing operational efficiency. The strategic acquisition of Cursor, with a hefty $10 billion breakup fee, further solidifies SpaceX's innovative approach and financial leverage in the industry.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg·SpaceX-Cursor Deal, SaaS Debt Bomb, New Apple CEO, SPLC Indictment, Colon Cancer Spike·Apr 24, 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
SpaceX's IPO, targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation, could set a new benchmark as the biggest IPO ever, with early inclusion in the NASDAQ 100 index proposed.
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.
Last Week in AI·#235 - Opus 4.6, GPT-5.3-codex, Seedance 2.0, GLM-5·Feb 16, 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's potential trillion-dollar IPO is driven by its dominance in rocket launches and the promising growth of Starlink and AI ventures.
SpaceX's potential IPO could set a new record, driven by its dominance in the space industry and the promising prospects of Starlink and AI integration.
The Artemis II mission's success is a pivotal moment for the space industry, highlighting the potential for economic growth and increased collaboration between government and private sectors.
The Artemis II mission is a monumental step forward in human space exploration, marking a historic return to lunar orbit and showcasing significant technological and financial investments.
The Rundown·SpaceX Files for IPO, Tesla Delivery Slump Continues·Apr 02, 2026
“… happening in space at scale with the Starlink cluster. Anyway. Speaking of space, it looks like Elon is going to use SPCX as a ticker for the SpaceX IPO, which he had to acquire from Matt Tuttle. Hence, the ETF's ticker change shown below. Eric from Bloomberg says, we predicted this could happen in a December note. Nice catch by Will, who famously gave the meta ticker to Zuck. I did not know that Will Hershey had the meta ticker previously.”“… try and, I mean, Elon wants to, like, 1,000 exit, 100,000 exit, million exit. I don't even know what the scale is, but orders of magnitude. And so there's new engineering challenges. But at the very least, it's worth acknowledging that there is computation happening in space at scale with the Starlink cluster. Anyway. Speaking of space, it looks like Elon is going to use SPCX as a ticker for the SpaceX IPO, which he had to acquire from Matt Tuttle. Hence, the ETF's ticker change shown below. Eric from Bloomberg says, we predicted this could happen in a December note. Nice catch by Will, who famously gave the meta ticker to Zuck. I did not know that Will Hershey had the meta ticker previously.”View more
Ridealong summary
Elon Musk is pushing for space data centers, claiming that current demand for chips from his companies will outstrip supply. While challenges like heat dissipation exist, there's already computation happening in space with Starlink, indicating a path forward for ambitious projects. This sets the stage for potential breakthroughs in space technology and data processing.
TBPN·Tokenmaxxing, SF Street Name Auction, Corporate Retreat Gone Wrong | Riley Walz, Aditya Bandi, Zach Shore, Hongwei Liu, Zak Kukoff, Thomas Laffont·Apr 07, 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
Ridealong summary
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.
TBPN·FULL INTERVIEW: Why I Think Nvidia Is Perfectly Positioned In The AI Race·Mar 30, 2026
“… to markets So we're going to have to be patient and see how the coming week and weeks play out. Now, we have some interesting news here. Elon Musk's SpaceX holds $603 million in Bitcoin despite a $5 billion loss stemming from XAI. Arkham data shows 8,285 Bitcoin in Coinbase Prime custody as the company swings from $8 billion profit to nearly $5 billion loss ahead of its IPO push. So the big takeaway here is SpaceX still holds Bitcoin on its balance sheet. Tesla still holds Bitcoin on its balance sheet. Elon himself personally holds Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Ethereum in his portfolio. So great to see …”“… some good things here with the MACD flipping green for the first time in a very long time and the RSI is moving away from the oversold zone so some nice strength here but nothing's guaranteed obviously we're looking at probabilities when it comes to markets So we're going to have to be patient and see how the coming week and weeks play out. Now, we have some interesting news here. Elon Musk's SpaceX holds $603 million in Bitcoin despite a $5 billion loss stemming from XAI. Arkham data shows 8,285 Bitcoin in Coinbase Prime custody as the company swings from $8 billion profit to nearly $5 billion loss ahead of its IPO push. So the big takeaway here is SpaceX still holds Bitcoin on its balance sheet. Tesla still holds Bitcoin on its balance sheet. Elon himself personally holds Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Ethereum in his portfolio. So great to see these companies are still holding this capital on their balance sheet. And what's fascinating is SpaceX is going to do an IPO. It looks like sometime this year. And they're going to have Bitcoin on their balance sheet. So that's a really cool standard that's going to be set. Because this is not a crypto company. obviously, right? So I know other …”View more
Ridealong summary
Bitcoin's rise is supported by mainstream companies like SpaceX holding it on their balance sheets, signaling a significant shift in how traditional sectors view cryptocurrency.
Thinking Crypto News & Interviews·BIG CRYPTO NEWS! SPACEX IPO BITCOIN, EU REGULATIONS & STABLECOIN, JUSTIN SUN WORLD LIBERTY FINANCIAL!·Apr 13, 2026
“What's your background? I feel like nuclear does not have a very clear pipeline of, oh, you worked at the, you're part of the SpaceX mafia that went into nuclear. Some people in nuclear came from SpaceX, but there isn't a clear lineage for everyone. What was your path into the nuclear industry? Yeah. So engineer by background, studied systems engineering in physics, lifelong interest in nuclear power. I like to joke that the first real job I had where I wasn't working at fast food, working on the family farm, first thing I ever did was work at the Newport New Shipyard where …”“What's your background? I feel like nuclear does not have a very clear pipeline of, oh, you worked at the, you're part of the SpaceX mafia that went into nuclear. Some people in nuclear came from SpaceX, but there isn't a clear lineage for everyone. What was your path into the nuclear industry? Yeah. So engineer by background, studied systems engineering in physics, lifelong interest in nuclear power. I like to joke that the first real job I had where I wasn't working at fast food, working on the family farm, first thing I ever did was work at the Newport New Shipyard where we build and construct nuclear submarines. Spent some time at different startups. I've worked on everything from artificial intelligence, machine learning, embedded systems, product companies. But the other unique thing in my background is I was actually in White House, StenOMB in 2017, 2018. Got it. Yeah, talk more about the regulatory approval. …”View more
Ridealong summary
NASA plans to launch a nuclear-powered spacecraft to the moon by December 2028, showcasing the immense potential of nuclear energy in space exploration. As solar efficiency declines beyond Earth, nuclear power offers a compact and powerful alternative for spacecraft, enabling humanity to expand its reach in the cosmos. This shift could revolutionize how we approach space missions and military operations in orbit.
TBPN·SpaceX Financials, Chimpanzee Civil War, Ferrari's Brand Legend | Josh Reeves, Prof. Alex Young, Jason Kim, Chad Janis, Jordan Bramble, Andy Dunn·Apr 10, 2026
