CNBC
• Oliver Renick
SpaceX shares have rallied amid an IPO valuation above $2 trillion and speculation about a merger with Tesla, while investors weigh the company’s expanding AI-compute ambitions against launch-market risks. SpaceX ended the second quarter with 1.4 GW of compute capacity and sees a path toward nearly 10 GW in 2027; ARK also flags openings for rivals if Falcon 9 retires.
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SpaceX shares have rallied amid an IPO valuation above $2 trillion and speculation about a merger with Tesla, while investors weigh the company’s expanding AI-compute ambitions against launch-market risks. SpaceX ended the second quarter with 1.4 GW of compute capacity and sees a path toward nearly 10 GW in 2027; ARK also flags openings for rivals if Falcon 9 retires.
Apollo Global Management is set to use aircraft financing rather than high-yield bonds for a £3.5 billion debt package backing its acquisition of easyJet. The choice puts aircraft-backed funding at the center of the deal’s financing structure.
Solairus Aviation completed its acquisition of Clay Lacy Aviation’s aircraft management and charter divisions on Oct. 1, 2026. The deal brings the two businesses under Solairus’ ownership, following a plan announced in August that was expected to expand its managed fleet to more than 500 aircraft, including nearly 200 available for charter.
Pegasus Airlines has completed its acquisition of Czech Airlines and Smartwings Group, then appointed Emre Pekesen as Smartwings’ chief executive and Nur Karabacak as finance chief. The leadership changes put Pegasus executives in charge of the Czech leisure-focused airline group, a longstanding operator in Central and Eastern Europe.
Blackstone has combined two existing defense companies to form Falcata, a new business focused on increasing production of technologies used to intercept drones and missiles. The launch reflects growing investment in counter-uncrewed systems and missile-defense capabilities amid heightened demand for these technologies.
Ontic is acquiring Wichita-based Aero-Mach Companies and its three established brands, adding specialist aerospace products, manufacturing, support and distribution capabilities to its portfolio. The deal also expands Ontic’s U.S. footprint and brings Aero-Mach’s customer relationships into the company.
The Pentagon is formally coordinating with In-Q-Tel, the CIA-funded investment firm that has backed startups including Anduril and Palantir, to identify and support emerging technologies. The partnership expands the defense establishment’s connection to a venture-investment network focused on technology with national-security applications.
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Alaska Air Group is positioning itself for a broader national and international role, combining Hawaiian Airlines’ widebody fleet with plans to join transatlantic and transpacific joint ventures. The strategy would intensify its Seattle competition with Delta while leaving room for one final major U.S. airline acquisition.
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