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SpaceX has bought $329M worth of Tesla Megapacks so far this year

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Tim De Chant

August 6, 2026
SpaceX has bought $329M worth of Tesla Megapacks so far this year

SpaceX has reported significant revenue growth, driven by AI compute deals with Anthropic and Google alongside Starlink's expansion. The company is heavily investing in Tesla Megapacks to support its xAI data center infrastructure.

The Strategic Evolution of SpaceX

SpaceX, recently transitioned into a public company, has reported a monumental shift in its financial landscape. According to its latest quarterly earnings, total sales surged from $4 billion in the second quarter of 2025 to $7.8 billion in 2026, a staggering 92% increase. This growth is primarily attributed to two pillars: the rapid expansion of the Starlink satellite internet service and the company's aggressive entry into the cloud computing and artificial intelligence sector.

The Rise of AI Compute Revenue

A critical driver of this growth is SpaceX's AI division, which saw revenue triple to $2.6 billion compared to the previous year. By securing high-profile compute deals with industry leaders like Anthropic and Google, SpaceX has positioned itself as a key infrastructure provider in the AI arms race. Despite these gains, the AI division reported a loss of $1.5 billion this quarter, highlighting the intense capital expenditures required to maintain such high-performance computing capabilities.

Vertical Integration and Tesla Megapacks

The interconnection between Elon Musk’s various enterprises is perhaps best illustrated by the flow of capital and hardware between SpaceX and Tesla. SpaceX has spent $329 million on Tesla Megapacks so far this year, with $295 million occurring in the second quarter alone. These industrial-scale battery storage units are essential for powering the massive energy demands of xAI data centers, which were folded into SpaceX earlier this year.

Financial Context and Future Outlook

While the company remains in a growth-at-all-costs phase—recording a net loss of $541 million for the quarter—this represents a significant improvement from the $1 billion loss recorded during the same period in 2025. The company’s financial trajectory is supported by a robust backlog, with CFO Bret Johnsen noting that SpaceX has an additional $6.7 billion of cloud services revenue under contract. This indicates that the current ramp-up in infrastructure investment is intended to capture long-term market share.

Challenges and Market Positioning

SpaceX’s dual focus on space-based internet and terrestrial AI infrastructure creates a unique, if capital-intensive, business model. By leveraging the compute power of its data centers and the global reach of Starlink, the company is attempting to dominate two distinct technological frontiers. The success of this model hinges on its ability to scale revenue faster than the massive operational costs associated with maintaining its AI and satellite infrastructure.

Summary

In conclusion, SpaceX is currently undergoing a massive transformation, pivoting from a pure-play aerospace firm to a diversified technology giant. With its recent public offering and deep integration with Tesla’s energy products and xAI’s software capabilities, the company is effectively betting that its infrastructure-heavy approach will become the backbone of the next generation of artificial intelligence and global connectivity.

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