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SpaceX – Business Overview, Starlink Potential & Starship Challenges

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Earlier this month, Third Bridge Forum spoke to a former director at Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) to discuss the company’s H2 2022 and 2023 outlook, as well as the company’s Starship and Starlink offerings. Here are the need-to-know insights from that Interview:

  • The specialist said space debris is the biggest risk to Starlink but believes concerns are overblown. They told us developing technologies should be able to mitigate any issues with debris and that Starlink satellites already have deorbiting tech built in.  
  • The specialist believes direct-to-mobile TAM for Starlink is severely overstated – most low-density areas would be better served by terminals or repeaters and the mobile opportunity is very small. 

“I suspect that the payload-to-orbit number [for Starlink] is going to be lower than where Elon [Musk] wants it, but I have no doubt that it’ll work.” 

  • Meanwhile, the specialist does not foresee any limits to reusability, noting that “Starship is being designed ground-up to be reusable at least 100 times, and once you get to 100, you’re on a glide path”. 
  • They added that SpaceX could be selling launches for USD 1,000 per kilogram by 2025. However, the specialist was unsure whether it would make money on those launches. 

For more human insights on SpaceX, click on the transcripts below.

Related Transcripts

The information used in compiling this document has been obtained by Third Bridge from experts participating in Forum Interviews. Third Bridge does not warrant the accuracy of the information and has not independently verified it. It should not be regarded as a trade recommendation or form the basis of any investment decision.

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