The Federal Trade Commission has fast-tracked approval for SpaceX to acquire Mesh Optical Technologies, a startup founded by former SpaceX engineers. The decision gives Elon Musk a regulatory greenlight to bring the company under his aerospace umbrella, according to Bloomberg.
Mesh emerged from stealth in February with a $50 million Series A round. The startup specializes in high-efficiency optical transceivers designed for data centers, a technology that could complement SpaceX's satellite internet ambitions with Starlink.
The $50 million figure, reported by both TechCrunch and Bloomberg, represents the total disclosed funding. Neither the acquisition price nor the timeline for closing the deal has been made public by the parties involved.
Bringing Mesh in-house could accelerate SpaceX's work on laser-based inter-satellite links, a critical component for Starlink's global network. The acquisition also signals Musk's deepening push into photonics and data infrastructure.
Some antitrust observers may question the speed of the FTC's review, given Musk's wide-ranging business interests. However, the commission provided no public comment on its rationale for the fast-tracked decision.