OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is said to have explored a surprise move into the space sector by attempting to invest in or acquire a controlling stake in a rocket company, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Citing people familiar with the discussions, the report states that Altman approached US-based rocket manufacturer Stoke Space during the summer. His proposals reportedly included large equity investments significant enough to secure a majority stake or a deep strategic partnership.
The move would have placed Altman directly in competition with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the world’s most valuable space launch company. Talks, however, did not progress, and the discussions are believed to have ended in the fall, the report adds.
The development comes at a time when the rivalry between tech giants in AI and space has intensified. It also follows Altman’s internal “code red” announcement at OpenAI, where he urged teams to accelerate improvements to ChatGPT amid growing competition from Google’s Gemini.
While the rocket deal did not materialise, the report underscores Altman’s broader ambitions beyond AI — and hints at his interest in positioning OpenAI and its ecosystem in sectors powered by heavy compute, satellite infrastructure, and next-generation connectivity.
