SpaceX
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 fairing catcher Mr Steven preps for October recovery attempt
Following a 45-day armless hiatus, SpaceX fairing recovery vessel Mr Steven’s four net-supporting arms have reappeared at its Berth 240 home, potentially giving SpaceX technicians enough time to install them for a fifth attempt at snagging a Falcon 9 fairing half.
That fifth Falcon fairing recovery attempt could occur as early as ~8 pm PDT, October 6th, roughly half an hour after SpaceX is scheduled to launch a flight-proven Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket with SAOCOM-1A, a 3000 kg (6600 lb) Earth observation satellite built for Argentinian space agency CONAE.
SpaceX’s most recent Vandenberg launch and fairing recovery attempt occurred on July 25th and successfully placed the sixth group of 10 Iridium NEXT communications satellites into orbit, after which Falcon 9 B1048 managed a safe landing aboard drone ship Just Read The Instructions (JRTI). JRTI returned to Port of San Pedro on July 28th and Block 5 booster B1048 has spent its subsequent ~70 days on dry land being refurbished for SAOCOM-1A, perhaps providing a taste of things to come for SpaceX launch operations.
Mr Steven, on the other hand, has been relegated to its Port of Los Angeles berth for the last month and a half, following the removal of his four arms, eight complementary booms, and large net. Presumably scheduled for upgrades after additional real-world testing, those arms and booms disappeared from Berth 240 around August 22nd and were spotted back beside Mr Steven on October 1st. Curiously, at least one arm had legible shipping manifest stickers applied, suggesting that the central arm structure, an entire arm, or even all four arms were shipped somewhere by air in interim.
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- Mr Steven with arms, August 3rd. (Pauline Acalin)
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- No arms, no problem. 09/18/18 (Pauline Acalin)
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- Once at the dock, SpaceX technicians reassembled arm components, presumably preparing to reinstall them on Mr Steven. (Pauline Acalin)
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- (Pauline Acalin)
Thanks to a new structural design allowing each arm to be easily disassembled into half a dozen major subsections, air shipment is likely a breeze compared to nearly all other large pieces of SpaceX hardware. Where or why they were shipped is unclear, although the expense of transporting ungainly and heavy items by air may indicate that schedule margins were too tight and the distance too far for road transport.
Mr Steven’s eight shock-absorbing arm booms have yet to be spotted at or around Berth 240, but chances are looking good for the vessel to have his arms reattached in time to attempt a fairing catch shortly after SAOCOM-1A. Judging from photos of the recently returned arms, any obvious before and after differences are few and far between, meaning that any visible upgrades to the recovery mechanism will instead be found with the booms.
It certainly appears that Mr Steven's net is capable of receiving a fairing half. Getting closer than ever. 8/13 #spaceX #mrsteven pic.twitter.com/Zqydum2FbB
— Pauline Acalin (@w00ki33) August 14, 2018
Longer arm booms could perhaps increase the working area of Mr Steven’s arms at the cost of dropping his net closer to the deck and late-July testing that involved placing an actual fairing on the net appeared to indicate that margin is available to lower his net further. We’ll find out soon as the booms arrive and SpaceX technicians (hopefully) begin reinstalling the vessel’s arms and net over the next several days.
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SpaceX has officially acquired xAI, merging rockets with AI expertise in what is the first move to bring Elon Musk’s companies under one umbrella.
On February 2, SpaceX officially announced the acquisition of xAI, uniting two powerhouse companies under a single entity, creating what the space exploration company called in a blog post “one of the most ambitious, vertically integrated innovation engines on (and off) Earth.”
🚨 BREAKING: Elon Musk has posted a new blog on SpaceX’s website confirming the acquisition of xAI pic.twitter.com/TFgeHGMpXc
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 2, 2026
The deal will integrate xAI’s advanced AI capabilities, including the Grok chatbot and massive training infrastructure, with SpaceX’s rocket technology, Starlink satellite network, and ambitious space exploration goals.
The acquisition comes at a pivotal moment: xAI is valued at around $230 billion as of late 2025, and has been racing to scale AI compute amid global competition from companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta. Meanwhile, SpaceX, which was recently valued at $800 billion, is facing escalating costs for its multiplanetary ambitions.
By combining forces, the merged entity gains a unified approach to tackle one of AI’s biggest bottlenecks: the enormous energy and infrastructure demands of next-gen models.
Musk wrote in a blog post on SpaceX’s website that:
“In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale. To harness even a millionth of our Sun’s energy would require over a million times more energy than our civilization currently uses! The only logical solution therefore is to transport these resource-intensive efforts to a location with vast power and space. I mean, space is called “space” for a reason.”
Musk details the need for orbital data centers, stating that his estimate is that “within 2 to 3 years, the lowest cost way to generate AI compute will be in space.
This cost-efficiency alone will enable innovative companies to forge ahead in training their AI models and processing data at unprecedented speeds and scales, accelerating breakthroughs in our understanding of physics and invention of technologies to benefit humanity.”
SpaceX recently filed for approval from the FCC to launch up to one million solar-powered satellites configured as high-bandwidth, optically linked compute platforms.
These facilities would harness near-constant sunlight with minimal maintenance, delivering what the company projects as transformative efficiency.
Musk has long argued that space offers the ultimate solution for power-hungry AI projects. But that’s not all the merger will take care of.
Additionally, it positions the company to fund broader goals. Revenue from the Starlink expansion, potential SpaceX IPO, and AI-driven applications could accelerate the development of lunar bases, as Musk believes multiplanetary life will be crucial to saving civilization.
Critics question the feasibility of massive constellations amid orbital debris concerns and regulatory hurdles. Yet, proponents see it as a bold step toward a multiplanetary computing infrastructure that extends human civilization beyond Earth.
Elon Musk
Rumored SpaceX-xAI merger gets apparent confirmation from Elon Musk
The comment follows reports that the rocket maker is weighing a transaction that could further consolidate Musk’s space and AI ventures.
Elon Musk appeared to confirm reports that SpaceX is exploring a potential merger with artificial intelligence startup xAI by responding positively to a post about the reported transaction on X.
Musk’s comment follows reports that the rocket maker is weighing a transaction that could further consolidate his space and AI ventures.
SpaceX xAI merger
As per a recent Reuters report, SpaceX has held discussions about merging with xAI, with the proposed structure potentially involving an exchange of xAI shares for SpaceX stock. The value, structure, and timing of any deal have not been finalized, and no agreement has been signed.
Musk appeared to acknowledge the report in a brief reply on X, responding “Yeah” to a post that described SpaceX as a future “Dyson Swarm company.” The comment references a Dyson Swarm, a sci-fi megastructure concept that consists of a massive network of satellites or structures that orbit a celestial body to harness its energy.
Reuters noted that two entities were formed in Nevada on January 21 to facilitate a potential transaction for the possible SpaceX-xAI merger. The discussions remain ongoing, and a transaction is not yet guaranteed, however.
AI and space infrastructure
A potential merger with xAI would align with Musk’s stated strategy of integrating artificial intelligence development with space-based systems. Musk has previously said that space-based infrastructure could support large-scale computing by leveraging continuous solar energy, an approach he has framed as economically scalable over time.
xAI already has operational ties to Musk’s other companies. The startup develops Grok, a large language model that holds a U.S. Department of Defense contract valued at up to $200 million. AI also plays a central role in SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield satellite programs, which rely on automation and machine learning for network management and national security applications.
Musk has previously consolidated his businesses through share-based transactions, including Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity in 2016 and xAI’s acquisition of X last year. Bloomberg has also claimed that Musk is considering a merger between SpaceX and Tesla in the future.
In a groundbreaking new report from Reuters, SpaceX is reportedly discussing merger possibilities with xAI ahead of the space exploration company’s plans to IPO later this year, in what would be a blockbuster move.
The outlet said it would combine rockets and Starlink satellites, as well as the X social media platform and AI project Grok under one roof. The report cites “a person briefed on the matter and two recent company filings seen by Reuters.”
Musk, nor SpaceX or xAI, have commented on the report, so, as of now, it is unconfirmed.
With that being said, the proposed merger would bring shares of xAI in exchange for shares of SpaceX. Both companies were registered in Nevada to expedite the transaction, according to the report.
On January 21, both entities were registered in Nevada. The report continues:
“One of them, a limited liability company, lists SpaceX and Bret Johnsen, the company’s chief financial officer, as managing members, while the other lists Johnsen as the company’s only officer, the filings show.”
The source also stated that some xAI executives could be given the option to receive cash in lieu of SpaceX stock. No agreement has been reached, nothing has been signed, and the timing and structure, as well as other important details, have not been finalized.
SpaceX is valued at $800 billion and is the most valuable privately held company, while xAI is valued at $230 billion as of November. SpaceX could be going public later this year, as Musk has said as recently as December that the company would offer its stock publicly.
The plans could help move along plans for large-scale data centers in space, something Musk has discussed on several occasions over the past few months.
At the World Economic Forum last week, Musk said:
“It’s a no-brainer for building solar-powered AI data centers in space, because as I mentioned, it’s also very cold in space. The net effect is that the lowest cost place to put AI will be space and that will be true within two to three years, three at the latest.”
He also said on X that “the most important thing in the next 3-4 years is data centers in space.”
If the report is true and the two companies end up coming together, it would not be the first time Musk’s companies have ended up coming together. He used Tesla stock to purchase SolarCity back in 2016. Last year, X became part of xAI in a share swap.
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