SpaceX has agreed to buy Cursor, the developer of the popular AI-powered coding editor, for $60 billion in cash and stock. The acquisition is the largest in the aerospace company's history. It signals a major push to automate software development for orbital and deep-space missions.
Cursor, owned by Anysphere, has grown rapidly over the last three years. The platform uses specialized reasoning models to write, edit, and audit code. SpaceX intends to deploy these tools to build real-time control software for its Starship launch vehicles and the Starlink satellite network.
Automating Spacecraft Software
Writing software for space flight requires zero-defect reliability. The software must handle harsh radiation and execute commands in milliseconds. Currently, human engineers spend months manually testing code for safety margins.
"We want to shorten the time between software design and flight validation," says SpaceX vice president of software engineering, David Gentry. "Cursor's reasoning engine can catch edge-case bugs that human testers miss. We plan to write flight code in days, not months."
Cursor will remain available as a commercial product for external developers. The team will operate as a distinct division within SpaceX, retaining its offices in San Francisco.
