Tom Mueller, SpaceX’s inaugural employee, reflects on the company’s formative years in anticipation of its historic IPO, as featured on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
In an exclusive interview with ‘The Claman Countdown’ on Thursday, Mueller described the upcoming IPO as a transformative event that will dramatically alter the financial prospects of thousands of employees.
SpaceX is slated to commence trading on the NASDAQ on Friday, marking what is projected to be the largest initial public offering in history. The offering is anticipated to price shares at $135 each, targeting $75 billion in proceeds and a valuation of approximately $1.77 trillion.
“Elon always said that ‘Your salary is one thing, but it’s the equity that’s gonna be worth something.’ And we are all like, ‘Yeah, okay someday,” Mueller said. “That day is here. It’s great.”
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Chief Technology Officer of X Elon Musk speaks at a conference on June 19, 2024, in Cannes, France. (Richard Bord/WireImage / Getty Images)
SpaceX will trade under the ticker symbol SPCX, and its workforce could become millionaires through stock option allocations.
The offering is expected to generate more than 4,000 new millionaires among current and former employees of the 24‑year‑old space company, according to estimates.
“We’re holding a modest celebration tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., ringing our own bell to commemorate the occasion with many of the early SpaceX team members,” Mueller told FOX Business.
SpaceX’s founder, Elon Musk, may soon ascend to become the world’s first trillionaire following the historic market debut.
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BROWNSVILLE, TX-MAY 27: Elon Musk is photographed at SpaceX in Brownsville, Texas (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images) (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Musk’s estimated net worth could increase by roughly 26%, rising from about $793 billion to $1 trillion, based on the combined market value of his holdings in SpaceX and Tesla.
Mueller, recruited as SpaceX’s first employee in 2002, led the development of key propulsion systems, including the Merlin engine that powers the Falcon 9 and the Raptor engine that powers Starship.
He described the transition from a large, bureaucratic aerospace firm to SpaceX as “refreshing,” granting greater freedom to innovate and describing the company culture as energizing.
“I left a massive, bureaucratic space corporation and embraced a fast‑moving environment that allowed us to pursue the product development we envisioned… It was challenging yet deeply satisfying,” Mueller said.
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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket prepares for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (SpaceX)
Mueller elaborated on a critical 2008 milestone that rescued the company from near‑bankruptcy, noting that the fourth Falcon 1 flight successfully reached orbit and secured vital funding.
“2008 marked the year we finally achieved orbit with the fourth Falcon 1 launch, at a time when we were nearly out of cash, and that flight saved the company,” he explained to ‘The Claman Countdown.’
“Subsequently, we adopted disciplined practices and began operating the Falcon 9, which has become the most reliable launch vehicle in history, leading us to our current position as a trillion‑dollar enterprise.”
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) the day after the Dow fell nearly 1,000 points as the conflict in Iran continues on June 11, 2026 in New York City. Markets were up over 200 points in morning trading. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Major institutional investors and corporations are eagerly anticipating SpaceX’s market debut, with BlackRock reportedly planning to acquire at least $5 billion in shares, according to The Wall Street Journal.
IPO participants will be able to trade SpaceX shares once the stock begins trading on Friday.
