Latest news with #Mars-related
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cathie Wood's ARK Invest predicts SpaceX will be worth $2.5 trillion by 2030—and the key to Elon Musk's Mars ambitions will be Starlink
Elon Musk's goal of establishing human colonies on Mars depends on the company first building out its satellite-internet network, Starlink, ARK Invest researchers explained in a Tuesday note. SpaceX is the biggest holding in the firm's ARK Venture Fund, making up over 13% of its portfolio. SpaceX will eventually go 'all in' on Elon Musk's goal of colonizing Mars, according to the firm of famed tech investor Cathie Wood. Before that's possible, however, ARK Invest believes building out satellite-internet network Starlink will propel SpaceX to a $2.5 trillion valuation by the end of the decade. That enterprise value, or the sum of SpaceX's equity and debt, would represent a 38% annualized return from its $350 billion funding round in December. The Tuesday note from ARK Invest's Daniel Maguire, Sam Korus, and Brett Winton marked a return to the firm's typically bullish commentary on Musk's companies. Wood has called the world's richest man 'the inventor of our age,' but she recently said Musk's public feud with President Donald Trump underlined how much his businesses rely on the U.S. government. With Musk seemingly trying to smooth things over, however, Wood and other investors will hope his focus can shift back to space. First on the agenda for SpaceX is completing Starlink's so-called constellation of satellites. Currently, there are roughly 7,600 of those satellites in orbit, according to Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell. The satellites have a lifespan of approximately five years; SpaceX hopes to eventually have 42,000 of them in the sky. ARK Invest's valuation model, developed with the help of space-investment research firm Mach33, sees that mark being reached around 2035. Wood's firm believes that would allow SpaceX to generate roughly $300 billion in annual revenue, or 15% of projected communications spending worldwide. For some context: Apple, the most profitable company in the U.S., posted $391 billion in sales last year. 'Funds flow gradually toward the development of Mars, until the Starlink constellation is complete,' the ARK Invest researchers wrote. The ARK Invest authors say Musk's ultimate goal for SpaceX is to bring humans to Mars, presumably with the help of his business empire. ARK Invest believes Tesla's humanoid robot, dubbed Optimus, and machinery from Musk's tunneling firm, the Boring Company, will be crucial in building the necessary infrastructure to establish colonies on the Red Planet. While conceding that projecting cash flows from extraterrestrial settlements can be speculative, ARK Invest believes Mars-related business will account for a significant portion of SpaceX's valuation by the late 2030s. 'Given the scale and long-term goal of colonizing Mars, investors are unlikely to earn much of a return on capital for a significant period of time,' the researchers wrote. 'While activities on Mars could lower the costs of servicing the satellite market on earth and pave the way for mining asteroids, those opportunities are beyond the scope of this forecast.' Musk's grand ambitions will require a lot of funding, of course. SpaceX particularly depends on government contracts. According to federal spending records, the company has received over $20 billion from Uncle Sam over the past 15 years. That helps explain why Musk offered a rare apology for his recent criticism of Trump after donating nearly $300 million to back the president and other Republican candidates during the 2024 election, as well as leading a cost-cutting crusade with the Department of Government Efficiency. As Musk puts his experience in Washington behind him, investors in the ARK Venture Fund, which provides exposure to several high-profile private companies, will hope he can reward the optimism of Wood and her colleagues. The fund's shares have risen nearly 20% over the past 12 months, compared with the 12.5% return of the S&P 500. SpaceX is the fund's biggest holding, making up over 13% of the portfolio. Fellow Musk-owned companies Neuralink and xAI are its second- and fourth-largest positions, respectively. This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NASA is prepping Mars missions for next year – a shift in priorities that will likely benefit Elon Musk
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways NASA is preparing to prioritize launching rockets to Mars in 2026 – a drastic change in priorities that happens to align with President Donald Trump's priorities, while also benefiting billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX. The unexpected change comes on the heels of the White House 2026 budget proposal, which includes increased funding for Mars-related projects by $1 billion and the promise to pay for the launches. 'We are evaluating every opportunity, including launch windows in 2026 and 2028, to test technologies that will land humans on Mars,' NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens told Politico. The White House hinted that Mars missions would be a priority of the Trump Administration last month after the president met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, indicating in a press release after the two met that the US and Italy would partner on a Mars mission as soon as next year. NASA employees who would typically be in the know about such plans, however, were left in the dark about a potential push to Mars, a senior official told Politico. Though there are other companies in the running to make rockets for such missions, Musk's SpaceX announced plans to land one of their rockets on the planet in 2026. SpaceX founder Elon Musk has long advocated for Mars missions, often donning a shirt reading 'Occupy Mars' (Getty Images) NASA's shift in priorities may also help fulfill a goal Trump expressed during his inauguration speech to land the first astronaut on Mars. While NASA's new plan is in line with Trump and Musk's interests, it may face blowback from lawmakers who have legally required the space agency to maintain a long-term human presence on or near the moon. Last fall, Musk announced that his company's first mission to Mars would be in 2026, likely when the next Earth-Mars transfer window – meaning when the two planets are aligned in their orbits – opens in November 2026. The Tesla co-founder has long pushed an outlandish plan to establish a self-sustaining colony on the Red Planet in order to save humanity from extinction. He has previously predicted an uncrewed landing could happen as soon as 2026, with humans there before 2030. 'It's not about going to Mars to visit once, but it is to make life multi-planetary so that we can expand the scope and scale of consciousness to better understand the nature of the universe and to ensure the long-term survival of civilization in the hopefully unlikely event that something terrible happens to Earth that there is a continuance of consciousness on Mars,' Musk told Fox News host Jesse Watters earlier this week. He said going to Mars served as an insurance plan for humans, predicting that Earth would somehow be incinerated by the sun in 'hundreds of millions of years.' While the star may swallow the Earth it won't be for billions of years. Musk has long triumphed the idea of colonization of the Red Planet, and since 2000 has pushed for Mars missions while donning 'Occupy Mars' T-shirts. Scientists, however, have said Musk's Mars vacations will not happen any time soon due to the complicated design and mission for SpaceX's Starship rocket, among other concerns. Previous test flights have resulted in fiery explosions.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NASA, in surprise shift, may launch rockets to Mars next year
NASA is considering launching rockets to Mars next year, a major shift in priorities that could boost the fortunes of Elon Musk's space company and speed up the timeline for astronauts to reach the red planet. The sudden switch follows the release of the White House's 2026 budget proposal, which would increase funding for Mars-related projects by $1 billion and pay for the launches. It also signals the Trump's administration's intentions to prioritize sending people to Mars. 'We are evaluating every opportunity, including launch windows in 2026 and 2028, to test technologies that will land humans on Mars,' said NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens. The White House first hinted at the possibility last month in a press release after a meeting between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Donald Trump. It indicated the U.S. and Italy would partner on a Mars mission as soon as next year. NASA employees who would usually know about such plans were not informed about the Mars effort prior to the White House meeting, according to a senior official, who was granted anonymity to speak about internal matters. The missions could prove a boon for Musk's SpaceX, which would likely be a top contender to provide the rocket. While other companies have rockets that could reach Mars, only SpaceX has announced plans to land one on the planet in 2026. NASA's new focus aligns with the Trump administration's increasing interest in Mars. Trump, in his inauguration speech, promised to land the first astronaut on the planet. Jared Isaacman, the nominee for NASA administrator, also said he would 'prioritize' such a mission in testimony ahead of his nomination hearing. And Musk, a Trump adviser, has long pushed to prioritize Mars over a moon landing. But a Mars focus could lead to a clash with lawmakers, who have legally mandated that NASA pursue a long-term human presence on or near the moon. Congress may buck Trump and refuse to approve the funding in his budget request, especially if lawmakers worry the effort will delay lunar plans. The White House's budget proposal also cancels the Gateway lunar space station program, which many senators support. Isaacman has said the space agency can pursue lunar and Mars plans at the same time. But both Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the chair and ranking member of the Senate committee overseeing NASA, pushed Isaacman on that assertion in written questions following his confirmation hearing. The White House, SpaceX, Cruz and Cantwell did not respond to requests for comment. Next year and 2028 are the soonest time frames when Earth and Mars are closest, making them optimal years for launching missions. SpaceX's Starship is not the only contender for the trip. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which launched for the first time in January, could carry a small payload to Mars. The company is already contracted to send two small satellites to Mars this year or next to study the planet. Rocket producer ULA has also built rockets for Mars missions. And Starship still needs to pass significant technical tests before any trip to the red planet. The rocket's last two flights ended with explosions.
Politico
07-05-2025
- Business
- Politico
NASA, in surprise shift, may launch rockets to Mars next year
NASA is considering launching rockets to Mars next year, a major shift in priorities that could boost the fortunes of Elon Musk's space company and speed up the timeline for astronauts to reach the red planet. The sudden switch follows the release of the White House's 2026 budget proposal, which would increase funding for Mars-related projects by $1 billion and pay for the launches. It also signals the Trump's administration's intentions to prioritize sending people to Mars. 'We are evaluating every opportunity, including launch windows in 2026 and 2028, to test technologies that will land humans on Mars,' said NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens. The White House first hinted at the possibility last month in a press release after a meeting between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Donald Trump. It indicated the U.S. and Italy would partner on a Mars mission as soon as next year. NASA employees who would usually know about such plans were not informed about the Mars effort prior to the White House meeting, according to a senior official, who was granted anonymity to speak about internal matters. The missions could prove a boon for Musk's SpaceX, which would likely be a top contender to provide the rocket. While other companies have rockets that could reach Mars, only SpaceX has announced plans to land one on the planet in 2026. NASA's new focus aligns with the Trump administration's increasing interest in Mars. Trump, in his inauguration speech, promised to land the first astronaut on the planet. Jared Isaacman, the nominee for NASA administrator, also said he would 'prioritize' such a mission in testimony ahead of his nomination hearing. And Musk, a Trump adviser, has long pushed to prioritize Mars over a moon landing. But a Mars focus could lead to a clash with lawmakers, who have legally mandated that NASA pursue a long-term human presence on or near the moon. Congress may buck Trump and refuse to approve the funding in his budget request, especially if lawmakers worry the effort will delay lunar plans. The White House's budget proposal also cancels the Gateway lunar space station program, which many senators support. Isaacman has said the space agency can pursue lunar and Mars plans at the same time. But both Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the chair and ranking member of the Senate committee overseeing NASA, pushed Isaacman on that assertion in written questions following his confirmation hearing. The White House, SpaceX, Cruz and Cantwell did not respond to requests for comment. Next year and 2028 are the soonest time frames when Earth and Mars are closest, making them optimal years for launching missions. SpaceX's Starship is not the only contender for the trip. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which launched for the first time in January, could carry a small payload to Mars. The company is already contracted to send two small satellites to Mars this year or next to study the planet. Rocket producer ULA has also built rockets for Mars missions. And Starship still needs to pass significant technical tests before any trip to the red planet. The rocket's last two flights ended with explosions.
