News & Updates
The latest news and updates from companies in the WLTH portfolio.
Report: Hawthorne-Based SpaceX Quietly Seeks Possibly Record-Setting IPO - MyNewsLA.com
Elon Musk's Hawthorne-based SpaceX has quietly submitted papers to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering that could potentially raise a record-setting $75 billion, it was reported Wednesday. Bloomberg News, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, reported that the space exploration company could value the IPO as high as $1.75 trillion, possibly raising as much as $75 billion, easily topping the current IPO record of $29 billion, set by Saudi Aramco in 2019. The SEC filing could lead to a June listing for the IPO, putting it ahead of ahead of anticipated high-dollar IPOs for OpenAI and Anthropic PBC, Bloomberg reported. Details of the proposed SpaceX IPO, including the number and price of shares, are expected to be revealed in later filings with the SEC. According to Bloomberg, SpaceX has engaged Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley to have roles in the IPO. The company is also working with international banks to handle orders in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, Asia and Australia. SpaceX is known for its prolific rocket-launch business, propelling astronauts and equipment to the International Space Station and developing the Starlink space-based internet service. The company, also known for its pioneering cost-cutting work through the recovery and reuse of rocket boosters, is working with NASA on efforts to establish a base on the moon and send astronauts to Mars.
SpaceX files for IPO, offering investors stake in Musk's moon, Mars ambitions
REUTERS -- Elon Musk's SpaceX has confidentially filed for a US initial public offering, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday, setting the stage for what could become the largest stock market listing on record. SpaceX puts more rockets in space than any other company and promises a chance to invest in humanity's return to the moon and attempt to colonize Mars. The company aspires to put artificial intelligence data centers in space, while running a lucrative satellite communications system that opens up much of the earth to the internet and is increasingly used in war. It is run by the world's richest person, Musk, a divisive figure who has grown electric vehicle maker Tesla into the most valuable automaker. A public listing at a potential valuation of more than $1.75 trillion would signal that space exploration has moved from a speculative venture to a mainstream investment theme. SpaceX's growth has been driven by its reusable rockets and the Starlink satellite internet network. The filing comes after SpaceX merged with Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI in a deal that valued the rocket company at $1 trillion and the developer of the Grok chatbot at $250 billion. SpaceX is hosting an analyst day on April 21, encouraging research analysts to attend in person, according to a person familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential information. The company is also offering analysts an optional visit to xAI's "Macrohard" data center site in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 23, and plans to hold a virtual session on May 4 to discuss financial models with banks, where banking teams are invited to participate, the source said. Valuing the conglomerate is no simple task, but Musk's leadership makes it easy for some investors. "Investors could use a sum-of-the-parts analysis, but, like with Tesla, SpaceX's valuation could very much fluctuate wildly based off how much the public believes in Musk's vision," said Angelo Bochanis, data and index associate at Renaissance Capital, a provider of IPO-focused research and ETFs. "So far, investors seem to be clamoring for any sort of exposure to SpaceX." SpaceX did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The Starbase, Texas-headquartered firm could seek to raise more than $50 billion in the IPO, handily surpassing the 2019 flotation of Saudi Aramco, the oil company, which remains the largest IPO on record. A blockbuster SpaceX debut could jolt the IPO market back to life after years of subdued activity, with market participants expecting strong demand from both retail and institutional investors, some drawn by Musk's brand and others seeking exposure to SpaceX's fast-growing space and satellite businesses. SpaceX is the world's most valuable privately held company, based on the valuation implied by its merger deal with xAI. The rocket startup was last valued at about $800 billion in a secondary share sale independently. Several other high-profile startups, including ChatGPT maker OpenAI and rival Anthropic, are also said to be weighing large IPOs, setting up a broader test of investor appetite for new listings. Many large startups have remained private for longer, tapping deep pools of capital in private markets, but a listing by a company such as SpaceX could encourage more of them to pursue public offerings. Bloomberg News first reported on the confidential filing earlier on Wednesday. A confidential filing allows a company to submit IPO documents to regulators privately, giving it time to address feedback and refine disclosures away from public scrutiny. A listing would deepen analyst and investor scrutiny of "Muskonomy" -- the billionaire's sprawling business empire and intertwined fortunes -- bringing renewed focus to how his companies are financed, governed and valued across markets. He runs electric vehicle maker Tesla, brain-chip maker Neuralink and tunnel-digging firm The Boring Company. Musk also folded social media platform X into xAI through a share swap last year, giving the AI startup access to the platform's data and distribution network. Questions about Musk's ability to oversee multiple companies with market values exceeding $1 trillion could temper investor enthusiasm, analysts say. "It is understandable that investors would be concerned with Musk overseeing multiple significant enterprises, especially given his polarizing public profile at times. However, SpaceX appears somewhat differentiated," said Kat Liu, vice president at IPOX. "The business is operationally mature, technologically ahead in several key areas, and profitable, which provides a solid fundamental underpinning." The move comes as NASA is set to launch four astronauts as soon as Wednesday evening on a 10-day flight around the moon, marking the most ambitious US space mission in decades. SpaceX generated about $8 billion in profit on $15 billion to $16 billion of revenue last year, Reuters reported in January, citing people familiar with the matter. A growing number of billionaires and private firms have bankrolled a fresh space race in the US, investing heavily in rockets, satellite networks and lunar ambitions, including SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. As NASA leans more on commercial partners and defense budgets climb, space is emerging as a strategic battleground shaped by technological edge, national security priorities and the promise of new economic gains. SpaceX has also sought permission to launch up to 1 million solar‑powered satellites engineered as orbital data centers, far beyond anything currently deployed or proposed. NASA engineers and technologists have speculated for nearly two decades about moving energy‑hungry computing off the planet. SpaceX's merger with xAI has drawn investor attention to how Musk could use a tightly integrated network of rockets, satellites and AI systems to overcome technical and capital hurdles, extending artificial intelligence infrastructure beyond Earth. Artificial intelligence has become Wall Street's favorite theme, with anything tied to AI helping fuel a powerful rally in technology stocks and lifting valuations across the sector.
SpaceX files to go public, paving way for record stock offering
Unfortunately you've used all of your gifts this month. Your counter will reset on the first day of next month. Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed papers with US regulators that set the stage for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday. The confidential filing puts the rocket and satellite builder on track to list its shares on a public exchange by July, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified sources.
Elon Musk Net Worth Could Make Him First Trillionaire as SpaceX Files for Historic IPO | Just Jared: Celebrity News and Gossip | Entertainment
The rocket company quietly filed paperwork to launch an IPO (Initial Public Offering), which means it plans to sell shares on the stock market. Keep reading to find out more... This could happen as soon as June, and may become one of the biggest IPOs ever, per the New York Times. SpaceX could be valued at more than $1 trillion dollars. Some reports say it could reach about $1.75 trillion dollars, making it one of the most valuable companies in the world, per Bloomberg. Elon Musk is already the richest person in the world, with his current net worth at about $821 billion according to Forbes. Tesla has a market cap of around $1.4 trillion, per CNBC. If SpaceX goes public at a higher value, his wealth could grow even more. Some reports say the IPO could help him push closer to becoming the world's first trillionaire. SpaceX was founded in 2002, and is now a major partner for NASA. It launches rockets and runs the Starlink internet service used around the world. It also owns social network X, formerly known as Twitter. The confidential filing means the company has shared financial details with regulators, but not to the public yet. If the IPO moves forward, it could raise tens of billions of dollars to help fund future projects like "launching artificial intelligence data centers into orbit, creating a colony on the moon and getting humans to Mars," per the NYT.
Mercor confirms security incident tied to LiteLLM supply chain attack
A platform that helps AI industry leaders improve their models on Wednesday confirmed a security incident tied to a recent supply chain attack. The startup, Mercor, was one of thousands of firms to be impacted by the security compromise of the open-source effort LiteLLM, according to a company statement. Mercor is a popular recruiting outfit that works with companies including OpenAI to hire experts and train AI models. As of October 2025, the company was reportedly valued at $10 billion. "The privacy and security of our customers and contractors is foundational to everything we do at Mercor," Mercor spokesperson Heidi Hagberg said in a statement. "Our security team moved promptly to contain and remediate the incident." Mercor is conducting an investigation with the help of outside forensics experts, the statement added. TechCrunch was first to report Mercor's confirmation of the security incident. Although the LiteLLM attack was reportedly tied to a group called TeamPCP, the hacking gang Lapsus$ claimed on its website that it obtained hundreds of gigabytes of Mercor's data. Hagberg did not immediately respond to questions about Lapsus$'s claims. LiteLLM confirmed the hack on its systems last week, saying it was "investigating a suspected supply chain attack involving unauthorized PyPI package publishes." The open-source project said evidence indicated that a user's PyPI account may have been "compromised and used to distribute malicious code." A clean version of LiteLLM was released Monday, according to a LiteLLM security post.
Perplexity AI machine accused of sharing data with Meta, Google
Perplexity AI Inc. was accused in a lawsuit of surreptitiously sharing the personal information of its users with Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google in violation of California privacy laws. As soon as users log into Perplexity's home page, trackers are downloaded onto their devices, giving Meta and Google full access to the conversations between them and Perplexity's AI Machine search engine, according to the proposed class-action complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco. This allows Meta and Google "to exploit this sensitive date for their own benefit, including targeting individuals with advertising and reselling their sensitive data to additional third parties," according to the complaint. Users' personal data is shared even when they sign up for Perplexity's "Incognito" mode, according to the complaint. The suit was filed on behalf of an Utah man, identified only as John Doe, who seeks to represent a class of Perplexity users. According to the suit, the man shared information about his family's finances, his tax obligations, his investment portfolio and strategies with Perplexity's chatbot. Perplexity embedded "undetectable" tracking software into the search engine's code that automatically transmits users' conversations to Meta, Google and other third parties, according to the complaint. The lawsuit also targets Meta and Google, accusing them of violating federal and state computer privacy and fraud laws. A Meta spokesperson pointed to a Facebook help page which says it's against the tech giant's rules for advertisers to send the company sensitive information. "We have not been served any lawsuit that matches this description so we are unable to verify its existence or claims," said Jesse Dwyer, a Perplexity spokesperson. Representatives of Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The case is Doe v. Perplexity AI Inc., 3:26-cv-02803, US District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). -With assistance from Kurt Wagner and Shirin Ghaffary.
SpaceX files confidentially for IPO in bid for record-breaking listing
Elon Musk's SpaceX has confidentially filed for a US initial public offering, sources confirmed, setting the stage for what could become the largest stock market listing on record. SpaceX puts more rockets in space than any other company and promises a chance to invest in humanity's return to the moon and attempt to colonise Mars. The company aspires to put AI data centres in space while running a lucrative satellite communications system that opens up much of the earth to the internet and is increasingly used in war. A public listing at a potential valuation of more than $1.75-trillion comes after SpaceX merged with Musk's AI start-up xAI in a deal that valued the rocket company at $1-trillion and the developer of the Grok chatbot at $250bn. SpaceX is hosting an analyst day on April 21, encouraging research analysts to attend in person, according to a person familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential information. The company is also offering analysts an optional visit to xAI's "Macrohard" data centre site in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 23, and plans to hold a virtual session on May 4 to discuss financial models with banks' research analysts, the source said. Valuing the conglomerate is no simple task, but Musk's leadership makes it easy for some investors. "Investors could use a sum-of-the-parts analysis, but, like with Tesla, SpaceX's valuation could very much fluctuate wildly based off how much the public believes in Musk's vision," said Angelo Bochanis, data and index associate at Renaissance Capital, a provider of IPO-focused research and ETFs. "So far, investors seem to be clamouring for any sort of exposure to SpaceX." SpaceX did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The Starbase, Texas-headquartered firm could seek to raise more than $50bn in the IPO, surpassing the 2019 flotation of Saudi Aramco, which remains the largest IPO on record. A blockbuster SpaceX debut could jolt the IPO market back to life after years of subdued activity, with market participants expecting strong demand from both retail and institutional investors, some drawn by Musk's brand and others seeking exposure to SpaceX's fast-growing space and satellite businesses. SpaceX is the world's most valuable privately held company, based on the valuation implied by its merger deal with xAI. The rocket start-up was last valued at about $800bn in a secondary share sale. Several other high-profile start-ups, including ChatGPT maker OpenAI and rival Anthropic, are also said to be weighing large IPOs, setting up a broader test of investor appetite for new listings. Many large start-ups have remained private for longer, tapping deep pools of capital in private markets, but a listing by a company such as SpaceX could encourage more of them to pursue public offerings. Bloomberg News first reported on the confidential filing earlier on Wednesday. A confidential filing allows a company to submit IPO documents to regulators privately, giving it time to address feedback and refine disclosures away from public scrutiny. A listing would deepen analyst and investor scrutiny of "Muskonomy" -- the billionaire's sprawling business empire and intertwined fortunes -- bringing renewed focus to how his companies are financed, governed and valued across markets. "A likely dual-class share structure would let Musk tap public capital while retaining firm control, even after the substantial dilution that comes with a public offering," said Minmo Gahng, assistant professor of finance at Cornell University. He runs electric vehicle maker Tesla, brain-chip maker Neuralink and tunnel-digging firm The Boring Company. Musk also folded social media platform X into xAI through a share swap last year, giving the AI start-up access to the platform's data and distribution network. Questions about Musk's ability to oversee multiple companies with market values exceeding $1-trillion could temper investor enthusiasm, analysts say. "It is understandable that investors would be concerned with Musk overseeing multiple significant enterprises, especially given his polarising public profile at times. However, SpaceX appears somewhat differentiated," said Kat Liu, vice-president at IPOX. "The business is operationally mature, technologically ahead in several key areas, and profitable, which provides a solid fundamental underpinning." The move comes as Nasa is set to launch four astronauts as soon as Wednesday evening on a 10-day flight around the moon, marking the most ambitious US space mission in decades. SpaceX generated about $8bn in profit on $15bn to $16bn of revenue last year, Reuters reported in January, citing people familiar with the matter. Space stocks jumped on the news, with Intuitive Machines last up 11%, while Planet Labs, AST SpaceMobile and Rocket Lab added between 6% and 10%. As Nasa leans more on commercial partners and defence budgets climb, space is emerging as a strategic battleground shaped by technological edge, national security priorities and the promise of new economic gains. SpaceX has also sought permission to launch up to 1-million solar‑powered satellites engineered as orbital data centres, far beyond anything currently deployed or proposed. Nasa engineers and technologists have speculated for nearly two decades about moving energy-hungry computing off the planet. SpaceX's merger with xAI has drawn investor attention to how Musk could use a tightly integrated network of rockets, satellites and AI systems to overcome technical and capital hurdles, extending AI infrastructure beyond Earth. AI has become Wall Street's favourite theme, with anything tied to AI helping fuel a powerful rally in technology stocks and lifting valuations across the sector.
SpaceX files to go public, paving way for record stock offering
Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed papers with US regulators that set the stage for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday. The confidential filing puts the rocket and satellite builder on track to list its shares on a public exchange by July, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified sources.
Perplexity AI machine accused of sharing data with Meta, Google
Perplexity AI Inc. was accused in a lawsuit of surreptitiously sharing the personal information of its users with Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google in violation of California privacy laws. As soon as users log into Perplexity's home page, trackers are downloaded onto their devices, giving Meta and Google full access to the conversations between them and Perplexity's AI Machine search engine, according to the proposed class-action complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco. This allows Meta and Google "to exploit this sensitive date for their own benefit, including targeting individuals with advertising and reselling their sensitive data to additional third parties," according to the complaint. Users' personal data is shared even when they sign up for Perplexity's "Incognito" mode, according to the complaint. The suit was filed on behalf of an Utah man, identified only as John Doe, who seeks to represent a class of Perplexity users. According to the suit, the man shared information about his family's finances, his tax obligations, his investment portfolio and strategies with Perplexity's chatbot. Perplexity embedded "undetectable" tracking software into the search engine's code that automatically transmits users' conversations to Meta, Google and other third parties, according to the complaint. The lawsuit also targets Meta and Google, accusing them of violating federal and state computer privacy and fraud laws. A Meta spokesperson pointed to a Facebook help page which says it's against the tech giant's rules for advertisers to send the company sensitive information. "We have not been served any lawsuit that matches this description so we are unable to verify its existence or claims," said Jesse Dwyer, a Perplexity spokesperson. Representatives of Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The case is Doe v. Perplexity AI Inc., 3:26-cv-02803, US District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). -With assistance from Kurt Wagner and Shirin Ghaffary.
SpaceX files to go public, paving way for record stock offering
Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed papers with US regulators that set the stage for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday. The confidential filing puts the rocket and satellite builder on track to list its shares on a public exchange by July, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified sources. Media reports have said the initial public offering could be valued at a whopping $75 billion or more, for a venture with stratospheric ambitions. The IPO looks set to blow past a record from 2019, when the oil group Saudi Aramco raised $25.6 billion. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment, and officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission declined to comment. If successful, SpaceX could arrive on Wall Street with a valuation exceeding $1.75 trillion, putting it among the world's ten biggest companies by market capitalization. After its acquisition of xAI in early February, SpaceX was valued at $1.25 trillion. Analysts have said that taking SpaceX public will require it and Musk to maintain greater transparency, particularly about its revenues. It could also expose the company to investor pressure to focus on profits instead of long-term investments -- such as Musk's plan to build a rocket for sending people to Mars. - 'Enamored' investors - When the documents are released, SpaceX's IPO filing will likely reveal details about its operations, including its satellite and rocket manufacturing, alongside its xAI artificial intelligence arm. Given that investors appear "enamored" with Musk's space and artificial intelligence ambitions, SpaceX could "probably get away with listing in a less exuberant market than some other companies might," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers. Matthew Kennedy, a senior strategist at Renaissance Capital, said he had little worries that SpaceX would be able to raise such a massive amount of capital, even as markets are roiled by the ongoing war in the Middle East. "US markets are some of the largest, most robust fundraising in the world, and this is a unique company that has captured the imagination of a lot of investors," Kennedy said. He also noted investor enthusiasm in potential advancements on space exploration and in AI, alongside the cash to be made in the telecoms sector. Besides SpaceX, two other tech heavyweights, the AI developers OpenAI and Anthropic, are reportedly planning IPOs this year. SpaceX, which dominates the space launching market with its reusable rockets, is owned by Musk alongside several investment funds and tech companies including Google's parent Alphabet. The company's rockets vastly reduce the cost of putting satellites into orbit. SpaceX is also the owner of the Starlink satellite constellation. In February, Musk announced that SpaceX would take over his artificial intelligence outfit xAI, a step in the billionaire's plan to use SpaceX's rockets to launch solar-powered, satellite-based data centers to run future AI models. jmb-elm-tu-bys/js
Perplexity AI machine accused of sharing data with Meta, Google
Perplexity AI Inc. was accused in a lawsuit of surreptitiously sharing the personal information of its users with Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google in violation of California privacy laws. As soon as users log into Perplexity's home page, trackers are downloaded onto their devices, giving Meta and Google full access to the conversations between them and Perplexity's AI Machine search engine, according to the proposed class-action complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco. This allows Meta and Google "to exploit this sensitive date for their own benefit, including targeting individuals with advertising and reselling their sensitive data to additional third parties," according to the complaint. Users' personal data is shared even when they sign up for Perplexity's "Incognito" mode, according to the complaint. The suit was filed on behalf of an Utah man, identified only as John Doe, who seeks to represent a class of Perplexity users. According to the suit, the man shared information about his family's finances, his tax obligations, his investment portfolio and strategies with Perplexity's chatbot. Perplexity embedded "undetectable" tracking software into the search engine's code that automatically transmits users' conversations to Meta, Google and other third parties, according to the complaint. The lawsuit also targets Meta and Google, accusing them of violating federal and state computer privacy and fraud laws. A Meta spokesperson pointed to a Facebook help page which says it's against the tech giant's rules for advertisers to send the company sensitive information. "We have not been served any lawsuit that matches this description so we are unable to verify its existence or claims," said Jesse Dwyer, a Perplexity spokesperson. Representatives of Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The case is Doe v. Perplexity AI Inc., 3:26-cv-02803, US District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). -With assistance from Kurt Wagner and Shirin Ghaffary.
EIX, ETR, NEE top chart as Utilities services gainers in Q1; CEG, NRG, VST among the losers (XLU:NYSEARCA)
Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund ETF (XLU), which tracks the S&P 500 Utilities services sector, gained nearly 8.3% during the first quarter, outperforming the broader S&P 500 Index, which slipped nearly 4.8% during the same period. The utilities service sector, which XLU outperformed due to sector rotation favoring value stocks, average fund flow, and strong gains in specific utility companies. Top gainers were Edison International, Entergy, and NextEra Energy, while Constellation Energy and NRG Energy were notable losers; Gas and Multi-Utilities sub-sectors also led gains. Quant ratings rate XLU as a Buy based on expenses and dividends, but Seeking Alpha analysts are cautious; some expect XLU may underperform with potential price decline.
Vendors struggle to navigate the Anthropic ban's fallout
Tech contractors say ambiguity in how Anthropic's products are able to be used by companies working with the federal government is leaving "traps" they may unknowingly fall into. The artificial intelligence vendor landscape in Washington, D.C., has been rocked by the ongoing dispute between Anthropic and the administration, with the business community searching for clarity in contracting requirements amid increasing anxiety over how technology contracts with the government will be handled. The Pentagon declared Anthropic a supply chain risk after the company refused to allow its products to be used for surveillance of Americans or in lethal autonomous warfare. President Donald Trump subsequently ordered that all federal agencies stop using Anthropic products. A judge on Friday temporarily barred the government from enforcing either the supply chain risk designation or the governmentwide ban, though the government has until April 2 to seek an emergency stay on the injunction. Multiple sources within the federal tech industry spoke with Nextgov/FCW about how they are adjusting to a post-Anthropic ban procurement and contracting landscape on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly about the ongoing situation. One industry source said their organization is closely monitoring the Trump administration's "evolving approach" to AI procurement strategies, but remains uncertain about the future. "Some of the requirements under consideration for government acquisition of AI tools and services are prompting more questions than answers, and industry is actively engaging to help policymakers understand how certain far-reaching proposals could unintentionally undermine the White House's goal of furthering American AI dominance," they said. The governmentwide ban raises concerns for companies that have Anthropic products -- like its generative AI, Claude -- embedded in different parts of their software stack. Harold Schultz Neto, head of product and AI at Labrynth -- a company that builds AI platforms to expedite permitting, documentation and compliance processes -- told Nextgov/FCW that his firm continues using Claude internally, namely for coding, product design and prototyping. He said, however, that he has had to pivot from using it for customers in order to comply with Trump's new mandate. "Our solutions are built on top of Claude," Schultz Neto said. "And when the federal mandate came, we had to not hire Claude for [customers] directly, and also stop our development on top of Claude for [customers]." Schultz Neto said Google's Gemini is now the core component of Labrynth's customer-facing products and, although none of the company's products that go to market use Claude, the loss of the Anthropic tool's powerful programming abilities is a paramount concern, particularly regarding Labrynth's internal operations. "If we serve the government, we can use other models inside our tools, but not being able to code with Claude because there's some federal mandate, that's a big concern that we have right now, and I think that should also be a concern from the federal agencies," he said. "Our member companies ... might use Anthropic, not in the final product that they're delivering to the government, but to test the security of it, to validate or review the code," a second industry source said, noting that companies are struggling to interpret the scope of both the supply chain risk designation and the government ban. "We've been sharing what we know from the government with our member companies," they said. "Everybody doing business with the government is used to and expects fully that things will be documented, that there will be clear requirements, that things will be spelled out, that there will be terms and conditions in the contract, and that they can follow along with those. In this case, a lot of that is missing." Current and prospective contractors are missing this clarity following the Anthropic ban, and they have more anxiety surrounding how contracts with the government will be handled alongside new and developing policies. "There's a fear that the standard administrative requirements are being transformed into legal traps by making specific policy mandates material," a source within technology contracting told Nextgov/FCW. "Companies are increasingly worried about contractual retribution, and the concern that the administration may use its power of suspension and debarment, traditionally reserved for the most bad-faith actors, against firms that aren't in lockstep with the latest executive priorities." That source also said there are new questions surrounding how the government will decide if a company is a fit partner and if it is now more subjective. "Contractors fear their past corporate decisions or public stances are scrutinized through new lenses from the administration, the fear that you can be disqualified for lack of integrity or lack of compliance with those views, not because you've done a poor job," they said. That concern highlights the lack of clear guidance and resulting fears reverberating through the tech industry. "The most common question that we've gotten is just: 'Have you seen any official guidance on this? Have you seen anything officially posted anywhere? Have you seen anything that would pass for actual policy that could be held up?' And, unfortunately, so far, the answer to that has been no," the second tech industry source said. Beyond uncertainty surrounding guidance in contracting with the federal government, companies share similar concerns with Labrynth in terms of whether or not internal Anthropic use will impact their ability to work with the government. New draft guidance from the General Services Administration offers some clarity, suggesting the government is looking for more freedom as to how to use procured technology systems. Quinn Anex-Ries, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said the draft terms and conditions serve as the most recent resource to help guide companies and AI developers in working with the government, and that it centers on "unbiased AI principles" for large language models. Anex-Ries said these latest updates to previous GSA memos on AI acquisition may offer clarity but include terms that would undermine "key safety measures in AI systems." "Implementing GSA's draft terms and conditions across all AI solicitations and contracts in the federal government could result in systems with fewer safety protections and worse outcomes, and a vendor community that is reticent to push back when their products are used unsafely," Anex-Ries said. The second tech industry source told Nextgov/FCW that the draft GSA language will weed out vendors -- potentially more than the administration anticipates -- due to how broad the language is written. They added that the GSA draft guidelines include verbiage that is not typical contracting language, which offers limited clarity. "There are a lot of terms used in [the GSA draft guidelines] that are not defined," they said. "The whole point of having contract language is to give clarity on the terms of the contract so that there's something that's enforceable." One senior government official told Nextgov/FCW that, following the Anthropic ban, the government is trying to send a message to the technology sector about being a "disciplined buyer" of advanced systems. "For a long time, the balance in government technology procurement has favored vendors, particularly in emerging areas like AI where the market is moving quickly," the official said. "What you're seeing now is a willingness to set clearer expectations with industry that access to federal markets requires transparency, fair terms, and a genuine partnership with government. Most companies understand that and are adapting to it." Earlier executive policy memos offer insight into the Trump administration's priorities in contracting and procurement, particularly within the AI landscape. Pursuant to President Donald Trump's July 2025 executive orders, the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo to instruct agencies to evaluate if the large language models they use comply with the White House's "unbiased AI principles." Other documents, including the April 2025 OMB memo outlining AI procurement management guidance, left industry wondering how stipulations in this order would be executed.
SpaceX registers to go public in blockbuster IPO, sources say
STORY: Elon Musk's SpaceX has confidentially filed for an initial public offering, setting the stage for what could become the largest stock market listing on record. That's according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday. :: SpaceX SpaceX could seek to raise more than $50 billion in the IPO, handily surpassing Saudi Aramco's public offering in 2019, which remains the largest IPO on record. The filing comes after SpaceX absorbed Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI. The deal valued the rocket company at $1 trillion and xAI, which developed the Grok chatbot, at $250 billion. :: SpaceX The public listing would potentially value SpaceX at $1.75 trillion, signaling that space exploration has moved from a speculative venture to a mainstream investment theme. A blockbuster SpaceX debut could jolt the IPO market back to life after years of subdued activity. :: SpaceX Some investors could be drawn in simply by Musk's brand, while others may be seeking exposure to SpaceX's fast-growing space and satellite businesses. :: Neuralink Musk's sprawling business empire - unofficially dubbed the Muskonomy - includes Tesla, brain-chip maker Neuralink, tunnel-digging firm The Boring Company and social media platform X, which last year was folded into xAI. Analysts say that questions regarding Musk's ability to oversee multiple companies with market values exceeding $1 trillion could temper investor enthusiasm in the IPO. Meanwhile, several other high-profile startups, including ChatGPT maker OpenAI and rival Anthropic, are also said to be weighing large IPOs, setting up a broader test of investor appetite for new listings.
California rocket launch today. When, where to see SpaceX Falcon 9
SpaceX is planning its first rocket launch of April from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. A whopping eight rocket launches took place in March from California, all but one of which was conducted by SpaceX. Now, the commercial spaceflight company is planning its first mission of April from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. And you may be unsurprised to learn that once again, SpaceX's Falcon 9 will be lifting off to deploy the company's Starlink broadband internet satellites. If you're hoping to catch a sight of the 230-foot rocket as it thunders into the sky, plenty of places near and far from the launch site are popular among spectators. Just keep in mind that postponements due to weather or issues with rockets are common with spaceflight. Check back with the VC Star for any updates on the impending launch. In the meantime, here's what to know about the upcoming SpaceX rocket launch from Vandenberg in Santa Barbara County, as well as where to watch it. Is there a rocket launch today? Next mission from Vandenberg in California SpaceX is working toward a Thursday, April 2 launch from Southern California, with a four-hour launch window opening at 4:03 p.m. PT. A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed. Where is the next launch from California? What to know about trajectory The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 4-East (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. As has become typical in 2026, the rocket will fly at a southern trajectory. What is launching from Vandenberg? SpaceX to deploy Starlink satellites SpaceX will launch its famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world's most active, to deliver 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, an altitude nearer Earth's atmosphere where they're able to circle the planet quickly. Where to watch California rocket launches in Santa Barbara County Because Vandenberg is an active military base, the launch complex does not host public viewings of launches. But if conditions are clear, rocket launches from the Vandenberg Space Force Base can be viewed from several locations as far as Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Space Launch Schedule, a website dedicated to tracking upcoming rocket launches, provided a list of places in Santa Barbara County in California to catch the launch in person: * 13th Street and Arguello Boulevard, a public site with the closest views of SpaceX launches * Floradale Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, officially designated as the "viewing site for SLC-6" (space launch complex-6) * Renwick Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, another intersection close to the base where spectators can park * Santa Lucia Canyon Road and Victory Road, provides a partial view of Complex 4. The city of Lompoc in Santa Barbara County is filled with places to catch a rocket launch. The city's tourism bureau, Explore Lompoc, maintains this list with additional viewing locations: * Ocean Park, 6851 Ocean Park Road, Lompoc, which, while it doesn't have a view of the launch pad itself, is located only four miles from the launch site and provides a good vantage to see rockets get off the ground. Parking is limited, and law enforcement will close the road to the beach once parking is full. * Allan Hancock College, 1 Hancock Drive, Lompoc, a community college located nine miles from the launch site where the launch pad and rocket's tip can be seen before liftoff. * Riverbend Park, N A Street and McLaughlin Road, Lompoc, located within 10 miles of the launch site, is filled with large fields for activities or for spectators to set up chairs. * Surf Beach on Ocean Avenue, one of the closest and most popular places to watch rocket launches near Lompoc, as long as it's open and accessible. But a word of caution: There is an active train track, the Amtrak Surf Station, that visitors must cross. While trains don't run during launch windows, the vehicles could start up again with little warning if a liftoff is scrubbed. Where to watch California rocket launches in Ventura County Visit Ventura, the tourism bureau in Ventura County, provided a list to the USA TODAY Network of suggested locations to see a rocket launch from the county: * Ventura Pier, 750 E. Harbor Blvd, is known as the oldest pier in all of California. * Emma Wood State Beach, located on the Santa Barbara Channel south of U.S. 101. * Serra Cross Park at Grant Park, located just above San Buenaventura City Hall, 501 Poli St., Ventura, offers a panoramic seascape view. * San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro St., Ventura, located adjacent to the Ventura Pier. * Cemetery Memorial Park, Main Street and South Crimea Street, Ventura Where to watch California rocket launches in San Luis Obispo County SLO CAL, a countywide destination marketing and management organization, maintains a list of its recommended best locations to watch a rocket launch in San Luis Obispo County to the north of the launch site: * Avila Beach, located off U.S. 101, has a variety of restaurants and shops for those looking to make a day of their rocket-viewing plans. * Pismo Beach, a city with a vibrant downtown stretch located just 38 miles away from Vandenberg * Shell Beach, a neighborhood in Pismo Beach that is home to several parks, including Eldwayen Ocean Park and Margo Dodd Park, both on Ocean Boulevard; and Dinosaur Caves Park (2701 Price St.) that are mostly dog-friendly and open to the public * Oceano Dunes, the closest place to view launches from the county with open spaces along the ocean allowing full visibility of the sky * Morro Strand State Beach, a three-mile stretch between the coastal city Morro Bay and the town of Cayucos. Cayucos' south-facing beaches should have great views of Vandenberg. Other cities in California where rockets may be visible Other cities in California where you might glimpse the Falcon 9 rocket soaring overhead - particularly after sunset and before sunrise - as it climbs into the sky on a southern trajectory include: * Long Beach, a city popular with tourists known for its waterfront attractions, located about 180 south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Lake Forest, located about 200 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * San Diego, located about 280 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Merced, located more than 200 miles north of Vandenberg in the San Joaquin Valley Will there be sonic booms? Residents of Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County often stand to be the most likely to hear sonic booms, SpaceX said. The sonic booms - brief, thunder-like noises that are often heard from the ground when a spacecraft or aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound - could last for up to 10 minutes after liftoff, Vandenberg has added. "Areas local to Vandenberg Space Force Base will hear the initial low rumble of take-off," Vandenberg has also said. What to know about booster re-entry Following the launch, the Falcon 9 rocket's booster will aim to land on a SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed "Of Course I Still Love You," in the Pacific Ocean. This allows for SpaceX personnel to recover the booster so it can be reused in future spaceflights. Does Elon Musk own SpaceX? What to know about rocket company SpaceX is the commercial spaceflight company that billionaire Elon Musk, the world's richest man, founded in 2002 and leads as the CEO. SpaceX is headquartered at Starbase in South Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. The site, which is where SpaceX has been conducting routine flight tests of its 400-foot megarocket known as Starship, was recently voted by residents to become its own city. As a major government contractor, SpaceX serves as the launch service provider for a variety of government missions both civil and military. For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space. And for NASA, Falcon 9 most often helps propel astronauts to the International Space Station on SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule - the only U.S vehicle capable of carrying NASA astronauts to orbit. What is Starlink? Starlink is SpaceX's internet satellite business. With more than 10,000 satellites in its growing orbital constellation, Starlink has become a lucrative part of Musk's business empire, serving millions of customers around the world. SpaceX, which bills itself as the only satellite internet provider with its own reusable rocket capable of deploying the technology, has spent years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from Florida and California. Starlink satellites operate from low-Earth orbit, about 341 miles up, which is much closer to Earth's atmosphere than other satellites. That not only allows Starlink satellites to offer high connection speeds than satellites further out in space, but to reach rural areas and regions where internet service is not readily accessible. What is the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California? The Vandenberg Space Force Base is a rocket launch site in Santa Barbara County in Southern California. Established in 1941, the site was previously known as the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Though it's a military base, the site also hosts both civil and commercial space launches for entities like NASA and SpaceX. Space Launch Delta 30, a unit of Space Force, is responsible for managing the launch operations at Vandenberg, as well as the missile tests that take place at the base. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected]
California rocket launch today. When, where to see SpaceX Falcon 9
SpaceX is planning its first rocket launch of April from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. A whopping eight rocket launches took place in March from California, all but one of which was conducted by SpaceX. Now, the commercial spaceflight company is planning its first mission of April from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. And you may be unsurprised to learn that once again, SpaceX's Falcon 9 will be lifting off to deploy the company's Starlink broadband internet satellites. If you're hoping to catch a sight of the 230-foot rocket as it thunders into the sky, plenty of places near and far from the launch site are popular among spectators. Just keep in mind that postponements due to weather or issues with rockets are common with spaceflight. Check back with the VC Star for any updates on the impending launch. In the meantime, here's what to know about the upcoming SpaceX rocket launch from Vandenberg in Santa Barbara County, as well as where to watch it. Is there a rocket launch today? Next mission from Vandenberg in California SpaceX is working toward a Thursday, April 2 launch from Southern California, with a four-hour launch window opening at 4:03 p.m. PT. A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed. Where is the next launch from California? What to know about trajectory The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 4-East (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. As has become typical in 2026, the rocket will fly at a southern trajectory. What is launching from Vandenberg? SpaceX to deploy Starlink satellites SpaceX will launch its famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world's most active, to deliver 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, an altitude nearer Earth's atmosphere where they're able to circle the planet quickly. Where to watch California rocket launches in Santa Barbara County Because Vandenberg is an active military base, the launch complex does not host public viewings of launches. But if conditions are clear, rocket launches from the Vandenberg Space Force Base can be viewed from several locations as far as Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Space Launch Schedule, a website dedicated to tracking upcoming rocket launches, provided a list of places in Santa Barbara County in California to catch the launch in person: * 13th Street and Arguello Boulevard, a public site with the closest views of SpaceX launches * Floradale Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, officially designated as the "viewing site for SLC-6" (space launch complex-6) * Renwick Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, another intersection close to the base where spectators can park * Santa Lucia Canyon Road and Victory Road, provides a partial view of Complex 4. The city of Lompoc in Santa Barbara County is filled with places to catch a rocket launch. The city's tourism bureau, Explore Lompoc, maintains this list with additional viewing locations: * Ocean Park, 6851 Ocean Park Road, Lompoc, which, while it doesn't have a view of the launch pad itself, is located only four miles from the launch site and provides a good vantage to see rockets get off the ground. Parking is limited, and law enforcement will close the road to the beach once parking is full. * Allan Hancock College, 1 Hancock Drive, Lompoc, a community college located nine miles from the launch site where the launch pad and rocket's tip can be seen before liftoff. * Riverbend Park, N A Street and McLaughlin Road, Lompoc, located within 10 miles of the launch site, is filled with large fields for activities or for spectators to set up chairs. * Surf Beach on Ocean Avenue, one of the closest and most popular places to watch rocket launches near Lompoc, as long as it's open and accessible. But a word of caution: There is an active train track, the Amtrak Surf Station, that visitors must cross. While trains don't run during launch windows, the vehicles could start up again with little warning if a liftoff is scrubbed. Where to watch California rocket launches in Ventura County Visit Ventura, the tourism bureau in Ventura County, provided a list to the USA TODAY Network of suggested locations to see a rocket launch from the county: * Ventura Pier, 750 E. Harbor Blvd, is known as the oldest pier in all of California. * Emma Wood State Beach, located on the Santa Barbara Channel south of U.S. 101. * Serra Cross Park at Grant Park, located just above San Buenaventura City Hall, 501 Poli St., Ventura, offers a panoramic seascape view. * San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro St., Ventura, located adjacent to the Ventura Pier. * Cemetery Memorial Park, Main Street and South Crimea Street, Ventura Where to watch California rocket launches in San Luis Obispo County SLO CAL, a countywide destination marketing and management organization, maintains a list of its recommended best locations to watch a rocket launch in San Luis Obispo County to the north of the launch site: * Avila Beach, located off U.S. 101, has a variety of restaurants and shops for those looking to make a day of their rocket-viewing plans. * Pismo Beach, a city with a vibrant downtown stretch located just 38 miles away from Vandenberg * Shell Beach, a neighborhood in Pismo Beach that is home to several parks, including Eldwayen Ocean Park and Margo Dodd Park, both on Ocean Boulevard; and Dinosaur Caves Park (2701 Price St.) that are mostly dog-friendly and open to the public * Oceano Dunes, the closest place to view launches from the county with open spaces along the ocean allowing full visibility of the sky * Morro Strand State Beach, a three-mile stretch between the coastal city Morro Bay and the town of Cayucos. Cayucos' south-facing beaches should have great views of Vandenberg. Other cities in California where rockets may be visible Other cities in California where you might glimpse the Falcon 9 rocket soaring overhead - particularly after sunset and before sunrise - as it climbs into the sky on a southern trajectory include: * Long Beach, a city popular with tourists known for its waterfront attractions, located about 180 south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Lake Forest, located about 200 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * San Diego, located about 280 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Merced, located more than 200 miles north of Vandenberg in the San Joaquin Valley Will there be sonic booms? Residents of Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County often stand to be the most likely to hear sonic booms, SpaceX said. The sonic booms - brief, thunder-like noises that are often heard from the ground when a spacecraft or aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound - could last for up to 10 minutes after liftoff, Vandenberg has added. "Areas local to Vandenberg Space Force Base will hear the initial low rumble of take-off," Vandenberg has also said. What to know about booster re-entry Following the launch, the Falcon 9 rocket's booster will aim to land on a SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed "Of Course I Still Love You," in the Pacific Ocean. This allows for SpaceX personnel to recover the booster so it can be reused in future spaceflights. Does Elon Musk own SpaceX? What to know about rocket company SpaceX is the commercial spaceflight company that billionaire Elon Musk, the world's richest man, founded in 2002 and leads as the CEO. SpaceX is headquartered at Starbase in South Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. The site, which is where SpaceX has been conducting routine flight tests of its 400-foot megarocket known as Starship, was recently voted by residents to become its own city. As a major government contractor, SpaceX serves as the launch service provider for a variety of government missions both civil and military. For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space. And for NASA, Falcon 9 most often helps propel astronauts to the International Space Station on SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule - the only U.S vehicle capable of carrying NASA astronauts to orbit. What is Starlink? Starlink is SpaceX's internet satellite business. With more than 10,000 satellites in its growing orbital constellation, Starlink has become a lucrative part of Musk's business empire, serving millions of customers around the world. SpaceX, which bills itself as the only satellite internet provider with its own reusable rocket capable of deploying the technology, has spent years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from Florida and California. Starlink satellites operate from low-Earth orbit, about 341 miles up, which is much closer to Earth's atmosphere than other satellites. That not only allows Starlink satellites to offer high connection speeds than satellites further out in space, but to reach rural areas and regions where internet service is not readily accessible. What is the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California? The Vandenberg Space Force Base is a rocket launch site in Santa Barbara County in Southern California. Established in 1941, the site was previously known as the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Though it's a military base, the site also hosts both civil and commercial space launches for entities like NASA and SpaceX. Space Launch Delta 30, a unit of Space Force, is responsible for managing the launch operations at Vandenberg, as well as the missile tests that take place at the base. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected]
Claude's code: Anthropic leaks source code for AI software engineering tool
Nearly 2,000 internal files were briefly leaked after 'human error', raising fresh security questions at the AI company Anthropic accidentally released part of the internal source code for its AI-powered coding assistant Claude Code due to "human error", the company said on Tuesday. An internal-use file mistakenly included in a software update pointed to an archive containing nearly 2,000 files and 500,000 lines of code, which were quickly copied to developer platform GitHub. A post on X sharing a link to the leaked code had more than 29m views early on Wednesday, and a rewritten version of the source code quickly became GitHub's fastest-ever downloaded repository. Anthropic issued copyright takedown requests to try to contain the code's spread. Within the code, users spotted blueprints for a Tamagotchi-esque coding assistant and an always-on AI agent, per the Verge. "Earlier today, a Claude Code release included some internal source code. No sensitive customer data or credentials were involved or exposed," an Anthropic spokesperson said. "This was a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a security breach." The exposed code related to the tool's internal architecture but does not contain confidential data from Claude, the underlying AI model by Anthropic. Claude Code's source code was partially known, as the tool had been reverse-engineered by independent developers. An earlier version of the assistant had its source code exposed in February 2025. Claude Code has emerged as a key product for Anthropic, as the company's paid subscriber base continues to grow. TechCrunch reported last week that paid subscriptions have more than doubled this year, per an Anthropic spokesperson. Anthropic's Claude chatbot also received a popularity boost amid the CEO, Dario Amodei's tussle, with the Pentagon; Claude climbed to the top spot of Apple's chart of top free apps in the US just more than a month ago. Amodei had refused to back down on red lines around the use of his company's technology for mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. This is the second time that Anthropic has had a data leak in recent weeks. Fortune previously reported on a separate breach and noted that the company was storing thousands of internal files on publicly accessible systems. That included a draft of a blog post that referred to an upcoming model known as "Mythos" and "Capybara". Some experts worry the leaks suggest internal security vulnerabilities within Anthropic. That could be particularly troubling for a company focused on AI safety. The leaks could also help competitors, like OpenAI and Google, better understand how Claude Code's AI system works. The Wall Street Journal reported that the most recent leak included commercially sensitive information, such as tools and instructions for getting its AI models to work as coding agents. The latest breach comes weeks after the US government designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk; Anthropic is fighting those allegations in court. Last week, a US district judge granted a temporary injunction to block the designation.
California rocket launch today. When, where to see SpaceX Falcon 9
SpaceX is planning its first rocket launch of April from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. A whopping eight rocket launches took place in March from California, all but one of which was conducted by SpaceX. Now, the commercial spaceflight company is planning its first mission of April from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. And you may be unsurprised to learn that once again, SpaceX's Falcon 9 will be lifting off to deploy the company's Starlink broadband internet satellites. If you're hoping to catch a sight of the 230-foot rocket as it thunders into the sky, plenty of places near and far from the launch site are popular among spectators. Just keep in mind that postponements due to weather or issues with rockets are common with spaceflight. Check back with the VC Star for any updates on the impending launch. In the meantime, here's what to know about the upcoming SpaceX rocket launch from Vandenberg in Santa Barbara County, as well as where to watch it. Is there a rocket launch today? Next mission from Vandenberg in California SpaceX is working toward a Thursday, April 2 launch from Southern California, with a four-hour launch window opening at 4:03 p.m. PT. A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed. Where is the next launch from California? What to know about trajectory The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 4-East (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. As has become typical in 2026, the rocket will fly at a southern trajectory. What is launching from Vandenberg? SpaceX to deploy Starlink satellites SpaceX will launch its famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world's most active, to deliver 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, an altitude nearer Earth's atmosphere where they're able to circle the planet quickly. Where to watch California rocket launches in Santa Barbara County Because Vandenberg is an active military base, the launch complex does not host public viewings of launches. But if conditions are clear, rocket launches from the Vandenberg Space Force Base can be viewed from several locations as far as Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Space Launch Schedule, a website dedicated to tracking upcoming rocket launches, provided a list of places in Santa Barbara County in California to catch the launch in person: * 13th Street and Arguello Boulevard, a public site with the closest views of SpaceX launches * Floradale Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, officially designated as the "viewing site for SLC-6" (space launch complex-6) * Renwick Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, another intersection close to the base where spectators can park * Santa Lucia Canyon Road and Victory Road, provides a partial view of Complex 4. The city of Lompoc in Santa Barbara County is filled with places to catch a rocket launch. The city's tourism bureau, Explore Lompoc, maintains this list with additional viewing locations: * Ocean Park, 6851 Ocean Park Road, Lompoc, which, while it doesn't have a view of the launch pad itself, is located only four miles from the launch site and provides a good vantage to see rockets get off the ground. Parking is limited, and law enforcement will close the road to the beach once parking is full. * Allan Hancock College, 1 Hancock Drive, Lompoc, a community college located nine miles from the launch site where the launch pad and rocket's tip can be seen before liftoff. * Riverbend Park, N A Street and McLaughlin Road, Lompoc, located within 10 miles of the launch site, is filled with large fields for activities or for spectators to set up chairs. * Surf Beach on Ocean Avenue, one of the closest and most popular places to watch rocket launches near Lompoc, as long as it's open and accessible. But a word of caution: There is an active train track, the Amtrak Surf Station, that visitors must cross. While trains don't run during launch windows, the vehicles could start up again with little warning if a liftoff is scrubbed. Where to watch California rocket launches in Ventura County Visit Ventura, the tourism bureau in Ventura County, provided a list to the USA TODAY Network of suggested locations to see a rocket launch from the county: * Ventura Pier, 750 E. Harbor Blvd, is known as the oldest pier in all of California. * Emma Wood State Beach, located on the Santa Barbara Channel south of U.S. 101. * Serra Cross Park at Grant Park, located just above San Buenaventura City Hall, 501 Poli St., Ventura, offers a panoramic seascape view. * San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro St., Ventura, located adjacent to the Ventura Pier. * Cemetery Memorial Park, Main Street and South Crimea Street, Ventura Where to watch California rocket launches in San Luis Obispo County SLO CAL, a countywide destination marketing and management organization, maintains a list of its recommended best locations to watch a rocket launch in San Luis Obispo County to the north of the launch site: * Avila Beach, located off U.S. 101, has a variety of restaurants and shops for those looking to make a day of their rocket-viewing plans. * Pismo Beach, a city with a vibrant downtown stretch located just 38 miles away from Vandenberg * Shell Beach, a neighborhood in Pismo Beach that is home to several parks, including Eldwayen Ocean Park and Margo Dodd Park, both on Ocean Boulevard; and Dinosaur Caves Park (2701 Price St.) that are mostly dog-friendly and open to the public * Oceano Dunes, the closest place to view launches from the county with open spaces along the ocean allowing full visibility of the sky * Morro Strand State Beach, a three-mile stretch between the coastal city Morro Bay and the town of Cayucos. Cayucos' south-facing beaches should have great views of Vandenberg. Other cities in California where rockets may be visible Other cities in California where you might glimpse the Falcon 9 rocket soaring overhead - particularly after sunset and before sunrise - as it climbs into the sky on a southern trajectory include: * Long Beach, a city popular with tourists known for its waterfront attractions, located about 180 south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Lake Forest, located about 200 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * San Diego, located about 280 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Merced, located more than 200 miles north of Vandenberg in the San Joaquin Valley Will there be sonic booms? Residents of Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County often stand to be the most likely to hear sonic booms, SpaceX said. The sonic booms - brief, thunder-like noises that are often heard from the ground when a spacecraft or aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound - could last for up to 10 minutes after liftoff, Vandenberg has added. "Areas local to Vandenberg Space Force Base will hear the initial low rumble of take-off," Vandenberg has also said. What to know about booster re-entry Following the launch, the Falcon 9 rocket's booster will aim to land on a SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed "Of Course I Still Love You," in the Pacific Ocean. This allows for SpaceX personnel to recover the booster so it can be reused in future spaceflights. Does Elon Musk own SpaceX? What to know about rocket company SpaceX is the commercial spaceflight company that billionaire Elon Musk, the world's richest man, founded in 2002 and leads as the CEO. SpaceX is headquartered at Starbase in South Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. The site, which is where SpaceX has been conducting routine flight tests of its 400-foot megarocket known as Starship, was recently voted by residents to become its own city. As a major government contractor, SpaceX serves as the launch service provider for a variety of government missions both civil and military. For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space. And for NASA, Falcon 9 most often helps propel astronauts to the International Space Station on SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule - the only U.S vehicle capable of carrying NASA astronauts to orbit. What is Starlink? Starlink is SpaceX's internet satellite business. With more than 10,000 satellites in its growing orbital constellation, Starlink has become a lucrative part of Musk's business empire, serving millions of customers around the world. SpaceX, which bills itself as the only satellite internet provider with its own reusable rocket capable of deploying the technology, has spent years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from Florida and California. Starlink satellites operate from low-Earth orbit, about 341 miles up, which is much closer to Earth's atmosphere than other satellites. That not only allows Starlink satellites to offer high connection speeds than satellites further out in space, but to reach rural areas and regions where internet service is not readily accessible. What is the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California? The Vandenberg Space Force Base is a rocket launch site in Santa Barbara County in Southern California. Established in 1941, the site was previously known as the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Though it's a military base, the site also hosts both civil and commercial space launches for entities like NASA and SpaceX. Space Launch Delta 30, a unit of Space Force, is responsible for managing the launch operations at Vandenberg, as well as the missile tests that take place at the base. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected]
California rocket launch today. When, where to see SpaceX Falcon 9
SpaceX is planning its first rocket launch of April from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. A whopping eight rocket launches took place in March from California, all but one of which was conducted by SpaceX. Now, the commercial spaceflight company is planning its first mission of April from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. And you may be unsurprised to learn that once again, SpaceX's Falcon 9 will be lifting off to deploy the company's Starlink broadband internet satellites. If you're hoping to catch a sight of the 230-foot rocket as it thunders into the sky, plenty of places near and far from the launch site are popular among spectators. Just keep in mind that postponements due to weather or issues with rockets are common with spaceflight. Check back with the VC Star for any updates on the impending launch. In the meantime, here's what to know about the upcoming SpaceX rocket launch from Vandenberg in Santa Barbara County, as well as where to watch it. Is there a rocket launch today? Next mission from Vandenberg in California SpaceX is working toward a Thursday, April 2 launch from Southern California, with a four-hour launch window opening at 4:03 p.m. PT. A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed. Where is the next launch from California? What to know about trajectory The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 4-East (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. As has become typical in 2026, the rocket will fly at a southern trajectory. What is launching from Vandenberg? SpaceX to deploy Starlink satellites SpaceX will launch its famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world's most active, to deliver 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, an altitude nearer Earth's atmosphere where they're able to circle the planet quickly. Where to watch California rocket launches in Santa Barbara County Because Vandenberg is an active military base, the launch complex does not host public viewings of launches. But if conditions are clear, rocket launches from the Vandenberg Space Force Base can be viewed from several locations as far as Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Space Launch Schedule, a website dedicated to tracking upcoming rocket launches, provided a list of places in Santa Barbara County in California to catch the launch in person: * 13th Street and Arguello Boulevard, a public site with the closest views of SpaceX launches * Floradale Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, officially designated as the "viewing site for SLC-6" (space launch complex-6) * Renwick Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, another intersection close to the base where spectators can park * Santa Lucia Canyon Road and Victory Road, provides a partial view of Complex 4. The city of Lompoc in Santa Barbara County is filled with places to catch a rocket launch. The city's tourism bureau, Explore Lompoc, maintains this list with additional viewing locations: * Ocean Park, 6851 Ocean Park Road, Lompoc, which, while it doesn't have a view of the launch pad itself, is located only four miles from the launch site and provides a good vantage to see rockets get off the ground. Parking is limited, and law enforcement will close the road to the beach once parking is full. * Allan Hancock College, 1 Hancock Drive, Lompoc, a community college located nine miles from the launch site where the launch pad and rocket's tip can be seen before liftoff. * Riverbend Park, N A Street and McLaughlin Road, Lompoc, located within 10 miles of the launch site, is filled with large fields for activities or for spectators to set up chairs. * Surf Beach on Ocean Avenue, one of the closest and most popular places to watch rocket launches near Lompoc, as long as it's open and accessible. But a word of caution: There is an active train track, the Amtrak Surf Station, that visitors must cross. While trains don't run during launch windows, the vehicles could start up again with little warning if a liftoff is scrubbed. Where to watch California rocket launches in Ventura County Visit Ventura, the tourism bureau in Ventura County, provided a list to the USA TODAY Network of suggested locations to see a rocket launch from the county: * Ventura Pier, 750 E. Harbor Blvd, is known as the oldest pier in all of California. * Emma Wood State Beach, located on the Santa Barbara Channel south of U.S. 101. * Serra Cross Park at Grant Park, located just above San Buenaventura City Hall, 501 Poli St., Ventura, offers a panoramic seascape view. * San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro St., Ventura, located adjacent to the Ventura Pier. * Cemetery Memorial Park, Main Street and South Crimea Street, Ventura Where to watch California rocket launches in San Luis Obispo County SLO CAL, a countywide destination marketing and management organization, maintains a list of its recommended best locations to watch a rocket launch in San Luis Obispo County to the north of the launch site: * Avila Beach, located off U.S. 101, has a variety of restaurants and shops for those looking to make a day of their rocket-viewing plans. * Pismo Beach, a city with a vibrant downtown stretch located just 38 miles away from Vandenberg * Shell Beach, a neighborhood in Pismo Beach that is home to several parks, including Eldwayen Ocean Park and Margo Dodd Park, both on Ocean Boulevard; and Dinosaur Caves Park (2701 Price St.) that are mostly dog-friendly and open to the public * Oceano Dunes, the closest place to view launches from the county with open spaces along the ocean allowing full visibility of the sky * Morro Strand State Beach, a three-mile stretch between the coastal city Morro Bay and the town of Cayucos. Cayucos' south-facing beaches should have great views of Vandenberg. Other cities in California where rockets may be visible Other cities in California where you might glimpse the Falcon 9 rocket soaring overhead - particularly after sunset and before sunrise - as it climbs into the sky on a southern trajectory include: * Long Beach, a city popular with tourists known for its waterfront attractions, located about 180 south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Lake Forest, located about 200 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * San Diego, located about 280 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Merced, located more than 200 miles north of Vandenberg in the San Joaquin Valley Will there be sonic booms? Residents of Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County often stand to be the most likely to hear sonic booms, SpaceX said. The sonic booms - brief, thunder-like noises that are often heard from the ground when a spacecraft or aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound - could last for up to 10 minutes after liftoff, Vandenberg has added. "Areas local to Vandenberg Space Force Base will hear the initial low rumble of take-off," Vandenberg has also said. What to know about booster re-entry Following the launch, the Falcon 9 rocket's booster will aim to land on a SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed "Of Course I Still Love You," in the Pacific Ocean. This allows for SpaceX personnel to recover the booster so it can be reused in future spaceflights. Does Elon Musk own SpaceX? What to know about rocket company SpaceX is the commercial spaceflight company that billionaire Elon Musk, the world's richest man, founded in 2002 and leads as the CEO. SpaceX is headquartered at Starbase in South Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. The site, which is where SpaceX has been conducting routine flight tests of its 400-foot megarocket known as Starship, was recently voted by residents to become its own city. As a major government contractor, SpaceX serves as the launch service provider for a variety of government missions both civil and military. For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space. And for NASA, Falcon 9 most often helps propel astronauts to the International Space Station on SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule - the only U.S vehicle capable of carrying NASA astronauts to orbit. What is Starlink? Starlink is SpaceX's internet satellite business. With more than 10,000 satellites in its growing orbital constellation, Starlink has become a lucrative part of Musk's business empire, serving millions of customers around the world. SpaceX, which bills itself as the only satellite internet provider with its own reusable rocket capable of deploying the technology, has spent years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from Florida and California. Starlink satellites operate from low-Earth orbit, about 341 miles up, which is much closer to Earth's atmosphere than other satellites. That not only allows Starlink satellites to offer high connection speeds than satellites further out in space, but to reach rural areas and regions where internet service is not readily accessible. What is the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California? The Vandenberg Space Force Base is a rocket launch site in Santa Barbara County in Southern California. Established in 1941, the site was previously known as the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Though it's a military base, the site also hosts both civil and commercial space launches for entities like NASA and SpaceX. Space Launch Delta 30, a unit of Space Force, is responsible for managing the launch operations at Vandenberg, as well as the missile tests that take place at the base. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected]
California rocket launch today. When, where to see SpaceX Falcon 9
SpaceX is planning its first rocket launch of April from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. A whopping eight rocket launches took place in March from California, all but one of which was conducted by SpaceX. Now, the commercial spaceflight company is planning its first mission of April from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. And you may be unsurprised to learn that once again, SpaceX's Falcon 9 will be lifting off to deploy the company's Starlink broadband internet satellites. If you're hoping to catch a sight of the 230-foot rocket as it thunders into the sky, plenty of places near and far from the launch site are popular among spectators. Just keep in mind that postponements due to weather or issues with rockets are common with spaceflight. Check back with the VC Star for any updates on the impending launch. In the meantime, here's what to know about the upcoming SpaceX rocket launch from Vandenberg in Santa Barbara County, as well as where to watch it. Is there a rocket launch today? Next mission from Vandenberg in California SpaceX is working toward a Thursday, April 2 launch from Southern California, with a four-hour launch window opening at 4:03 p.m. PT. A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed. Where is the next launch from California? What to know about trajectory The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 4-East (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. As has become typical in 2026, the rocket will fly at a southern trajectory. What is launching from Vandenberg? SpaceX to deploy Starlink satellites SpaceX will launch its famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world's most active, to deliver 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, an altitude nearer Earth's atmosphere where they're able to circle the planet quickly. Where to watch California rocket launches in Santa Barbara County Because Vandenberg is an active military base, the launch complex does not host public viewings of launches. But if conditions are clear, rocket launches from the Vandenberg Space Force Base can be viewed from several locations as far as Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Space Launch Schedule, a website dedicated to tracking upcoming rocket launches, provided a list of places in Santa Barbara County in California to catch the launch in person: * 13th Street and Arguello Boulevard, a public site with the closest views of SpaceX launches * Floradale Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, officially designated as the "viewing site for SLC-6" (space launch complex-6) * Renwick Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, another intersection close to the base where spectators can park * Santa Lucia Canyon Road and Victory Road, provides a partial view of Complex 4. The city of Lompoc in Santa Barbara County is filled with places to catch a rocket launch. The city's tourism bureau, Explore Lompoc, maintains this list with additional viewing locations: * Ocean Park, 6851 Ocean Park Road, Lompoc, which, while it doesn't have a view of the launch pad itself, is located only four miles from the launch site and provides a good vantage to see rockets get off the ground. Parking is limited, and law enforcement will close the road to the beach once parking is full. * Allan Hancock College, 1 Hancock Drive, Lompoc, a community college located nine miles from the launch site where the launch pad and rocket's tip can be seen before liftoff. * Riverbend Park, N A Street and McLaughlin Road, Lompoc, located within 10 miles of the launch site, is filled with large fields for activities or for spectators to set up chairs. * Surf Beach on Ocean Avenue, one of the closest and most popular places to watch rocket launches near Lompoc, as long as it's open and accessible. But a word of caution: There is an active train track, the Amtrak Surf Station, that visitors must cross. While trains don't run during launch windows, the vehicles could start up again with little warning if a liftoff is scrubbed. Where to watch California rocket launches in Ventura County Visit Ventura, the tourism bureau in Ventura County, provided a list to the USA TODAY Network of suggested locations to see a rocket launch from the county: * Ventura Pier, 750 E. Harbor Blvd, is known as the oldest pier in all of California. * Emma Wood State Beach, located on the Santa Barbara Channel south of U.S. 101. * Serra Cross Park at Grant Park, located just above San Buenaventura City Hall, 501 Poli St., Ventura, offers a panoramic seascape view. * San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro St., Ventura, located adjacent to the Ventura Pier. * Cemetery Memorial Park, Main Street and South Crimea Street, Ventura Where to watch California rocket launches in San Luis Obispo County SLO CAL, a countywide destination marketing and management organization, maintains a list of its recommended best locations to watch a rocket launch in San Luis Obispo County to the north of the launch site: * Avila Beach, located off U.S. 101, has a variety of restaurants and shops for those looking to make a day of their rocket-viewing plans. * Pismo Beach, a city with a vibrant downtown stretch located just 38 miles away from Vandenberg * Shell Beach, a neighborhood in Pismo Beach that is home to several parks, including Eldwayen Ocean Park and Margo Dodd Park, both on Ocean Boulevard; and Dinosaur Caves Park (2701 Price St.) that are mostly dog-friendly and open to the public * Oceano Dunes, the closest place to view launches from the county with open spaces along the ocean allowing full visibility of the sky * Morro Strand State Beach, a three-mile stretch between the coastal city Morro Bay and the town of Cayucos. Cayucos' south-facing beaches should have great views of Vandenberg. Other cities in California where rockets may be visible Other cities in California where you might glimpse the Falcon 9 rocket soaring overhead - particularly after sunset and before sunrise - as it climbs into the sky on a southern trajectory include: * Long Beach, a city popular with tourists known for its waterfront attractions, located about 180 south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Lake Forest, located about 200 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * San Diego, located about 280 miles south of the launch site along the southern coast of California * Merced, located more than 200 miles north of Vandenberg in the San Joaquin Valley Will there be sonic booms? Residents of Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County often stand to be the most likely to hear sonic booms, SpaceX said. The sonic booms - brief, thunder-like noises that are often heard from the ground when a spacecraft or aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound - could last for up to 10 minutes after liftoff, Vandenberg has added. "Areas local to Vandenberg Space Force Base will hear the initial low rumble of take-off," Vandenberg has also said. What to know about booster re-entry Following the launch, the Falcon 9 rocket's booster will aim to land on a SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed "Of Course I Still Love You," in the Pacific Ocean. This allows for SpaceX personnel to recover the booster so it can be reused in future spaceflights. Does Elon Musk own SpaceX? What to know about rocket company SpaceX is the commercial spaceflight company that billionaire Elon Musk, the world's richest man, founded in 2002 and leads as the CEO. SpaceX is headquartered at Starbase in South Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. The site, which is where SpaceX has been conducting routine flight tests of its 400-foot megarocket known as Starship, was recently voted by residents to become its own city. As a major government contractor, SpaceX serves as the launch service provider for a variety of government missions both civil and military. For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space. And for NASA, Falcon 9 most often helps propel astronauts to the International Space Station on SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule - the only U.S vehicle capable of carrying NASA astronauts to orbit. What is Starlink? Starlink is SpaceX's internet satellite business. With more than 10,000 satellites in its growing orbital constellation, Starlink has become a lucrative part of Musk's business empire, serving millions of customers around the world. SpaceX, which bills itself as the only satellite internet provider with its own reusable rocket capable of deploying the technology, has spent years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from Florida and California. Starlink satellites operate from low-Earth orbit, about 341 miles up, which is much closer to Earth's atmosphere than other satellites. That not only allows Starlink satellites to offer high connection speeds than satellites further out in space, but to reach rural areas and regions where internet service is not readily accessible. What is the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California? The Vandenberg Space Force Base is a rocket launch site in Santa Barbara County in Southern California. Established in 1941, the site was previously known as the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Though it's a military base, the site also hosts both civil and commercial space launches for entities like NASA and SpaceX. Space Launch Delta 30, a unit of Space Force, is responsible for managing the launch operations at Vandenberg, as well as the missile tests that take place at the base. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected]