SpaceX, a US-based space exploration company backed by diversified conglomerate Alphabet, yesterday raised an additional $100m in funding to close its latest round at $450m.
The additional capital, revealed in a regulatory filing, puts SpaceX’s post-money valuation at $21.5bn, according to TechCrunch, a slight increase over the $21bn valuation achieved at the round’s first close in July 2017. SpaceX has not named any investors in the round.
Founded in 2002, SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches rockets and spacecraft for a range of private clients and for US government-owned space agency Nasa.
SpaceX made headlines by successfully landing a rocket on a drone ship before reusing the spacecraft for a later mission, becoming the first operator to do so.
The company is focusing on launching satellites and delivering cargo to the International Space Station in the short to medium-term, but has set its long-term sights on the colonisation of Mars.
Alphabet and financial services group Fidelity previously co-led a $1bn in 2015, adding to a total of $250m in earlier equity provided by DFJ, Rothenberg Ventures, Valor Equity Partners, Capricorn Investment Group and Founders Fund.