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SpaceX's investor pitch reads like a sci-fi manifesto

Elon Musk's rocket company didn't hold back on its nerdiness when revealing its finances to Wall Street. We explain what the sci-fi-like terms mean.

SpaceX's investor pitch reads like a sci-fi manifesto

TL;DR

  • SpaceX's IPO filing includes sci-fi-like language and futuristic visions.
  • The filing mentions 'cryogenic propellant transfer in microgravity' for refueling rockets in space.
  • SpaceX references the 'Kardashev scale', aiming for 'Kardashev Type II' status where a civilization harnesses its star's full energy output.
  • The company's mission is described as extending 'the light of consciousness to the stars'.
  • Plans for 'orbital AI compute' and 'asteroid mining' are outlined as future markets.
  • A 'lunar mass driver' is mentioned as a concept for launching cargo from the Moon using electromagnetic force.
  • The filing includes a nod to 'Starman', the mannequin in a Tesla Roadster sent into orbit by the Falcon Heavy rocket.