SpaceX · Elon Musk · Fortune Technology
While lunar propellant is nowhere close to scaling, the case for compute is moving much faster
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 1 source. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
◌ Single Source
SpaceX has asked the FCC for permission to launch 1 million satellites to support data centers in space.
Key facts
- An analysis of publicly disclosed equity rounds by space companies between August 2025 and July 2026 found 47 deals with a median round size of $40 million, and an average round size of $116.2
- The new report by advisory firm Deloitte and shared with Fortune in advance of its Wednesday release, estimates the budding moon-based economy could generate between $343 billion and $566 billion
- A single kilogram of rocket fuel costs $1 on Earth, $4,000 in low Earth orbit, and $36,000 on the lunar surface if it goes up from home, the report states
- SpaceX went public in a record-setting IPO on June 12, which saw its valuation soar to $2 trillion
Summary
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk described plans to build factories on the moon as he presided over the now public rocket maker’s first earnings call this month. The new report by advisory firm Deloitte and shared with Fortune in advance of its Wednesday release, estimates the budding moon-based economy could generate between $343 billion and $566 billion in upside through 2050. And despite the high barrier to entry for non-aerospace businesses, new companies are getting in on the action. “What was once the domain of governments and a handful of aerospace contractors now includes venture-backed startups, investors, defense firms, and some of the world’s largest companies all seeking a role in the emerging lunar economy,” the report states. The report, “Building the Lunar Economy,” includes insights from interviews with founders, engineers, investors, and government officials, and more than 400 model inputs.