Spacex

SpaceX and xAI Purchase Thousands of Unsold Cybertrucks Before Tax Credit Deadline

| Importance: 7/10

Just before the September 30, 2025 deadline for locking in orders with unrefundable deposits to qualify for Q4 EV tax credits, Elon Musk’s companies SpaceX and xAI ordered thousands of Tesla Cybertrucks, effectively bailing out Tesla’s struggling electric pickup sales. Through the first …

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SpaceX Acquires $17 Billion EchoStar Spectrum for Starlink Direct-to-Cell Service

| Importance: 7/10

SpaceX’s Gwynne Shotwell announced a major transaction with EchoStar on September 8, 2025, where SpaceX agreed to acquire 50 MHz of wireless spectrum and mobile satellite service spectrum licenses from EchoStar. The deal involves EchoStar selling its AWS-4 and H-block spectrum licenses in …

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SpaceX gets FAA permission for fivefold increase in Starship launches from Texas

| Importance: 7/10

The Federal Aviation Administration granted SpaceX a significant expansion of launch permissions, increasing Starship launch capacity from 5 to 25 annually at the Boca Chica, Texas site. The FAA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) after a Tiered Environmental Assessment, allowing up to …

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SpaceX wins $5.9 billion Space Force contract amid congressional conflict-of-interest investigation

| Importance: 6/10

SpaceX awarded $5.9 billion for 28 launches through 2029 as largest share of $13.5 billion National Security Space Launch Phase 3 contracts. Award occurred while congressional oversight investigation examined Musk’s $9.5 billion total DoD contracts and potential conflicts with his advisory …

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Trump systematically fires federal officials investigating Elon Musk's companies

| Importance: 9/10

President Trump orchestrated the systematic removal of federal regulators investigating Elon Musk’s companies across multiple agencies. Officials fired included FDA staffers reviewing Neuralink’s clinical trials, EEOC leaders investigating Tesla discrimination claims, the NLRB Chair who …

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Russian Oligarch Held SpaceX Stake While Under U.S. Sanctions

| Importance: 9/10

Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov held a 1% stake in SpaceX through Delaware-based Heritage Trust for four years while under U.S. sanctions (2018-2022), with the stake acquired in 2017 before sanctions and disposed of before the trust was blocked in June 2022.

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Elon Musk begins regular contact with Vladimir Putin

| Importance: 8/10

Elon Musk began regular direct communication with Vladimir Putin while controlling critical US infrastructure through SpaceX and Starlink, creating unprecedented foreign influence over defense and communications systems.

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Reports: Sanctioned oligarch Suleiman Kerimov held ~1% SpaceX stake via Heritage Trust

| Importance: 6/10

Bloomberg and other outlets reported Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov held approximately 1% of SpaceX through Delaware’s Heritage Trust, managed by Citigroup, from 2017 until disposal before Treasury blocked the trust in 2022. The stake was acquired pre-sanctions but retained for years after …

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