SpaceX's Raptor engine evolved dramatically from the Raptor 1 to Raptor 3, with streamlined design and 35% more thrust. The full-flow staged combustion engine powers Starship, first flying on the complete stack in 2023 and continuing to improve through engineering refinements.
Valor Equity Partners, founded by Antonio Gracias, is distributing 8.5% of its SpaceX holdings worth about $8.5 billion to its investors rather than selling on the open market, which could provide tax advantages and avoid depressing the stock price. Valor will retain over 460 million shares after the transfer.
Discussions on X debate whether AI capital expenditure spending by hyperscalers is sustainable, with professional investors warning of record overinvestment concerns despite capex expected to exceed $1 trillion in 2027. Market gains are currently driven by AI-related earnings and equity valuations, though depreciation and slowing investment growth may become headwinds.
SpaceX announced a September 22 launch date for Starship's first orbital flight from South Texas, targeting a 75-minute window starting at 8:15 a.m. EDT. The mission will deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites and mark a major milestone after 13 previous suborbital flights, with Ship expected to complete six Earth orbits before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
Ciena announced 30% revenue CAGR targets through 2029 with reorganized reporting segments focused on AI data center interconnects. Commentary discusses competitive dynamics in AI model markets, with projections about SpaceX's Grok competing against OpenAI and Anthropic's offerings.
In 2003, Tesla cofounder Martin Eberhard borrowed AC Propulsion's tZero electric roadster to demonstrate its impressive acceleration to venture capitalists on Silicon Valley's Sand Hill Road and at Buck's of Woodside restaurant. Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page connected Eberhard with Elon Musk, who was intrigued by the tZero's performance and agreed to test drive it in January 2004, marking a pivotal moment in Tesla's founding.
Four Colorado residents made the 2024 Forbes 400 richest Americans list, though one dropped off due to rising wealth thresholds. Philip Anschutz leads Colorado with $19.3 billion, followed by Charlie Ergen, Mark Stevens, and John Malone. Tech fortunes and entertainment assets drove significant wealth gains for most billionaires.
The U.S. Space Force is granting SpaceX flexibility in designing a $2.3 billion low-Earth orbit satellite network by specifying performance requirements rather than mandating specific spacecraft configurations.