SpaceX IPO: How Our Reporters Assess the Sky-High Valuation and Potential Economic Impact

Article excerpt

SpaceX is preparing for an initial public offering that will test whether investors will pay premium prices for a rocket and satellite company with an ambitious but unproven business model. Two New York Times tech reporters and their editor discuss how to evaluate the company's sky-high valuation, a number driven partly by Elon Musk's reputation and partly by genuine technological advances in reusable rockets and satellite internet. The challenge: separating SpaceX's real innovations and contracts from the hype surrounding its billionaire founder, and understanding what the company's public debut might mean for the aerospace industry and broader economy.