Once a far-fetched dream in Elon Musk’s head, space travel is now a high-stakes reality and big business. What began as a bold experiment in 2002 has grown into SpaceX, a powerhouse of over 13,000 employees and a $427 billion valuation. In just two decades, the company has redefined the limits of private spaceflight, becoming the first non-government entity to launch and return a spacecraft from orbit and to send astronauts to the International Space Station.
But SpaceX is more than just Musk’s vision. Behind the rockets, satellites and spacecraft is a team of brilliant engineers and hands-on leaders turning ambition into action.
Here are the key figures helping steer one of the most innovative companies on (and off) the planet.
Elon Musk: CEO, CTO and chief designer
Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 and currently serves as its CEO, chief technology officer, and chief designer. Despite leading several other companies, Musk remains intensely involved in the engineering and design work at SpaceX. “My time is almost entirely with the engineering team, working on improving the Falcon 9 and our Dragon spacecraft and developing the Mars Colonial architecture,” he said in a 2016 interview with Sam Altman.
Gwynne Shotwell, president and COO
Musk hired Shotwell to manage all aspects of the company outside of engineering and design—including legal, finance, sales and operations. She joined SpaceX in 2002 as the company’s 11th employee, initially leading business development. She was promoted to President and chief operating officer in 2008 after securing a major NASA contract.
Before joining SpaceX, Shotwell held leadership roles at Microcosm as a systems director and at The Aerospace Corporation as a senior project engineer. Her contributions to the aerospace industry have earned her the World Technology Award for Individual Achievement in Space and induction into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame. According to Forbes, she is currently worth approximately $1.2 billion.
Tim Hughes, VP of government affairs and global business
Tim Hughes leads SpaceX’s global policy initiatives and government business operations. He joined the company in 2005 as its first general counsel, playing a key role in SpaceX’s transition from a startup to a global aerospace leader.
Hughes began his career with the U.S. Secret Service, later practicing law at a national firm before transitioning to Capitol Hill. There, he joined the House Committee on Science and Technology, focusing on the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. He served as the lead staffer on the legislation that became the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, which continues to shape commercial spaceflight policy in the U.S.
Bret Johnsen, CFO and president of Strategic Acquisitions Group
Bret Johnsen has led SpaceX’s financial strategy since joining the company in 2011. As CFO and president of the Strategic Acquisitions Group, he oversees financial planning, risk management and capital structure. Before SpaceX, Johnsen spent a decade at Broadcom and held senior roles including Senior Vice President and CFO at Mindspeed Technologies.
Key engineering executives:
- Mark Juncosa, VP of vehicle engineering: Mark Juncosa oversees SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Cameron County, Texas. Starbase is SpaceX’s primary site for developing, testing and launching its Starship rocket. He leads both day-to-day operations and infrastructure at Starbase, helping drive Starship’s progress toward future deep-space missions.
- Phil Alden, VP of Starship and Starlink: Phil Alden leads production efforts for SpaceX’s two flagship programs: the Mars-bound Starship rocket and the Starlink satellite constellation. He joined SpaceX in 2012 from the automotive industry, bringing a decade of experience as a general manager at BMW, as well as earlier engineering leadership at Jaguar Land Rover in advanced manufacturing.
- William Gerstenmaier, senior principal flight reliability engineer: William Gerstenmaier heads SpaceX’s quality engineering and process development teams, drawing on decades of leadership experience at NASA. As former Associate Administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, he oversaw NASA’s human spaceflight initiatives, including space communications and launch systems, prior to joining SpaceX.
- Charles Kuehmann, VP of materials engineering: Charles Kuehmann plays a dual role across SpaceX and Tesla as a key figure in advanced materials innovation. He leads cross-company efforts to push the boundaries of performance and durability in critical systems.
- Joe Petrzelka, VP of spacecraft engineering: Joe Petrzelka helps lead Starship engineering at SpaceX. He joined the company in 2012 and brings a strong background in mechanical and weld engineering, backed by a Ph.D. from MIT. Earlier in his career, he interned at John Deere, working on machine design.
- Kiko Dontchev, senior director of launch and recovery operations: Kiko Dontchev joined SpaceX in 2010, initially leading development of lithium-ion batteries for the Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9. In 2015, he oversaw a critical flight safety demonstration for human spaceflight, earning a prestigious National Academy of Sciences award for early career achievement. Today, he directs all SpaceX Launch and Recovery operations.
- Jacob McKenzie, VP of Raptor: Jacob McKenzie leads development of SpaceX’s Raptor engine family, which powers the Starship launch system. Since joining the company in 2015, he has held a range of engineering and leadership roles.
