SpaceX COO hints: Not ruling out a merger with Tesla, first AI computing satellite to be launched by the end of 2027

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell earlier in an interview did not rule out the possibility of a future merger with Tesla, while also revealing that the first AI data center satellite "AI1" is scheduled to launch by the end of 2027.
(Background: SpaceX officially goes public! Price jumps to $150, breaking a $1.9 trillion market cap, Musk makes history as the first "trillionaire.")
(Additional context: What cools the space data center? Engineers loudly claim it's impossible, Musk: operating satellites number over ten thousand.)

Elon Musk's SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell recently revealed multiple major pieces of information in an interview with CNBC, including the possibility of a merger with Tesla and the launch schedule for the first AI data center satellite "AI1."

Not ruling out a merger with Tesla

First, the question many investors care about: when asked whether SpaceX and Tesla might merge, Shotwell admitted that the two companies are aligned in direction, "If they merge, Elon’s life might be a bit easier."

In fact, Tesla and SpaceX have long shared engineering resources, and after Tesla invested in xAI, they now also hold shares in SpaceX. In February this year, Musk even decided to merge SpaceX with xAI, at which time the combined company's valuation reached $1.25 trillion.

However, Shotwell emphasized that her current focus remains on manufacturing rockets, improving Starlink broadband coverage, and international space station missions. Even so, she also acknowledged that mergers and acquisitions are still an important strategic activity, "especially in the AI field." Notably, SpaceX earlier this week officially acquired AI code startup Cursor for $60 billion.

AI Satellite "AI1" scheduled to launch by the end of 2027

Regarding the highly关注 of AI computing power deployment, Shotwell confirmed that the first-generation AI data center satellite "AI1" is scheduled to launch by the end of 2027. Before that, SpaceX will deploy computing power on some Starlink broadband satellites and Starlink mobile communication satellites for preliminary testing.

If this space AI computing plan succeeds, it will significantly change the global data center distribution landscape, making computing resources no longer limited to ground facilities.