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Apr 29, 2026 4:52 AM

Will Elon Musk's SpaceX Pay Package Hinge On Mars Colonization And Orbital Data Centers?

The board of SpaceX has reportedly approved an innovative compensation plan for its founder, Elon Musk, which is linked to the company’s ambitious Mars colonization and space-based data center operations.

As detailed in a confidential registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Musk’s pay will be linked to SpaceX’s ambitious goals of colonizing Mars and running data centers in outer space, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

Musk stands to gain 200 million super-voting restricted shares if SpaceX achieves a market value of $7.5 trillion and establishes a permanent human colony on Mars with at least 1 million residents. Additionally, Musk could receive up to 60.4 million restricted shares if SpaceX hits separate valuation targets and successfully operates space-based data centers delivering at least 100 terawatts of computing capacity.

However, if SpaceX fails to meet these lofty valuation targets, Musk will not receive any shares. This plan could potentially cause tension with shareholders of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), where Musk also serves as CEO.

SpaceX is reportedly preparing for an IPO around Elon Musk's birthday on June 28, with a ...