In 2002, SpaceX made its most important hire when Gwynne Shotwell joined as vice president of business development. Shotwell is a former high school cheerleader who is trained as an engineer but without the stereotypical nerdiness—she has been described as smooth and well-spoken. She is a trusted Musk advisor who can speak honestly without annoying Musk. Shotwell oversees SpaceX’s day-to-day as president and COO. Mark Juncosa, another Musk lieutenant, was previously in charge of Starlink, the satellite internet constellation that is expected to go public. In 2022, Shotwell and Juncosa were put in charge of overseeing the facility and operations of Starbase, one of four active SpaceX launch sites.
SpaceX secured a $350 billion valuation in late 2024, making it one of the hottest companies. On the SpaceX board you’ll find Antonio Gracias, a long-time friend and confidant of Musk’s (Gracias stepped down from the Tesla board in 2021). His growth firm, Valor Equity partners, has invested in other Musk companies including SpaceX, Tesla, the Boring Company, and Neuralink.
