SpaceX $1.5T IPO News Hits as NASA Delays Artemis Launch

NASA has delayed the launch of its Artemis II mission after engineers found a leak in the rocket’s liquid hydrogen system during a final simulation test at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The agency stopped the wet dress rehearsal, a full countdown and fuel loading exercise, about five minutes before completion after the hydrogen leak appeared near a key connection in the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Teams will review data, fix issues and repeat the tests before setting a firm date in the March 2026 window.

Artemis II will be the first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo era when it eventually flies. The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft are designed to carry a four-person crew on a roughly 10-day trip around the Moon and back, without landing. Astronauts already assigned include NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

NASA officials said the complications with fueling during cold weather and hardware readiness are not unusual for complex deep-space missions, and they expect the additional review to improve the chances of success when the launch attempt resumes.

Artemis Program: First Crewed Flight Since Apollo

The Artemis program began nearly a decade ago with the goal of returning humans to the Moon and eventually going beyond. Artemis II follows an uncrewed Artemis I mission that successfully tested the SLS and Orion systems in lunar space. The upcoming flight will push human spacefarers farther from Earth than they have traveled in decades.

The mission is considered a key step toward future lunar landings, including Artemis III, planned to place astronauts on the lunar surface later in the decade. NASA says lessons from Artemis II will shape planning for those more challenging goals.

SpaceX IPO Momentum and Valuation Signals

While NASA engineers prepare for another Artemis launch attempt, SpaceX remains in focus because of ongoing IPO talk and fast moving private market pricing.

SpaceX has stayed private since 2002. However, recent reporting has pointed to a possible mid 2026 IPO window, with some reports floating an approximate $1.5 trillion valuation and a potential $50 billion raise if the company lists.

Private market data also shows how quickly expectations shifted. A SpaceX price chart shared in the image shows the stock at 503.44, up 163.76% over the past year. The same chart displays an implied valuation near $1.19 trillion, reflecting how secondary market pricing has moved higher even without a public listing.

Before those higher targets, SpaceX also completed internal share sale discussions that pegged its value closer to about $800 billion, which still placed it among the most valuable private companies. Final IPO timing and pricing remain uncertain because SpaceX has not filed publicly, and valuations can change quickly as market conditions shift.

Elon Musk’s Net Worth in Context

lon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO, ranks as the world’s richest person. Forbes’ real time tracker listed his net worth at $841.1 billion as of Feb. 5, 2026. His total wealth shifts with stock moves in his companies, especially Tesla, as well as changes in SpaceX’s private valuation.

In late 2025, Musk became the first person reported to pass $600 billion in estimated net worth. That rise linked in part to higher SpaceX private valuations and IPO speculation. His SpaceX stake, estimated at about 40 percent, remains a major driver of his wealth.

If SpaceX lists near the top end of current valuation targets, Musk’s net worth could rise further. However, timing and pricing remain unconfirmed, and no IPO filing has been released.

NASA’s Artemis II mission remains on track for a launch window in March 2026, pending successful retesting of fueling and countdown procedures. Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to position itself for what could become one of the largest IPOs in history. Investors will watch how both the Artemis program and SpaceX’s public offering plans unfold in the coming months.