Elon Musk's SpaceX reports a profit and he hints at a possible merger with Tesla

SpaceX announced a significant quarterly profit of $4.4 billion, surpassing Wall Street expectations and nearly doubling their revenue to $14.6 billion. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, hinted at a potential merger with his electric vehicle company, Tesla, though he emphasized it was not a certainty. The AI business within SpaceX has become the largest revenue generator in the third quarter, though the Starlink satellite service remains the primary profit driver.

Musk also showcased SpaceX's commitment to reusable rockets by attempting to capture both the booster and ship with mechanical arms upon their return to base. This attempt is seen as a critical step towards demonstrating the reusability of the massive spacecraft, which is essential for extending human consciousness beyond Earth on a sustained basis.

SpaceX aims to establish a regular launch pattern for the Starship rocket in preparation for NASA's upcoming lunar missions. The company has substantial government contracts, and House Democrats have called for investigations into these contracts and Musk's relationship with the Department of Government Efficiency. SpaceX has been spending $276 million since July in support of Republican candidates, and Musk's past actions have drawn criticism from politicians.

The company's capital expenditures totaled $19.6 billion last quarter, nearly tripling from the previous year, and SpaceX expects spending to grow to $35 billion to $40 billion in the current quarter. Despite concerns over spending, SpaceX shares closed Tuesday at $147.79, down from a peak near $201 after its IPO, where Musk became the world's first trillionaire.

Tesla will report its third-quarter financial results on Wednesday, and the company recently unveiled a new Roadster sports car that may include thrusters allowing it to briefly fly using SpaceX technology. However, experts doubt whether such a feature will be practical for drivers in the foreseeable future.