Jun 12, 2026 – 4.06pmSpace: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Elon. Its continuing mission: “to build the systems and technologies necessary to make life multi-planetary, to understand the true nature of the universe, and to extend the light of consciousness to the stars”. To boldly go where no billionaire has gone before.The fact words plucked from the formal prospectus lodged with the US Securities and Exchange Commission ahead of the biggest ever initial public offering, slot so seamlessly into the legendary opening monologue of Star Trek’s James T. Kirk says everything about a barely believable period of financial history.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Paul SmithTechnology editorPaul Smith edits the technology coverage and has been a leading writer on the sector for 20 years. He covers big tech, artificial intelligence, business use of tech, the fast-growing Australian tech industry and start-ups, and national innovation policy from our Sydney newsroom. Send tips to @sayssmithy.99 on encrypted messaging platform Signal.Fetching latest articles