If SpaceX were to go public next week it would command a valuation of somewhere in the region of $175 billion and likely have institutional and private investors clamoring for a slice of the initial public offering.

That heady valuation is based on sales of insider shares sold on the secondary market and would immediately thrust Spacex into a market cap position alongside tech veterans such as Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) and IBM (NYSE:IBM).

SpaceX, partially owned by Elon Musk, hasn't set a timetable for going public, but rumors and scams have abounded, while the company has tantalized investors...