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Gwynne Shotwell

Gwynne Shotwell

President and chief operating officer of SpaceX

Appears in 7 stories

Office: Chief operating officer
Born: November 23, 1963, Evanston
Education: Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Libertyville High School

Last updated Nov 9, 2026

Stories

SpaceX buys nationwide spectrum in push to become a mobile carrier

Money Moves

Outlined land-based network plans in August 2026

SpaceX agreed to buy nationwide 800 MHz spectrum from Grain Management for about $8 billion, and it is buying EchoStar's wireless licenses in a deal that has grown to roughly $20 billion. The airwaves let Starlink Mobile reach phones on the ground, including indoors.

Updated 2 days ago

Musk merges SpaceX and xAI in record-breaking deal

Money Moves

Overseeing day-to-day operations during merger integration

SpaceX is now a profitable public company. Third-quarter results reported October 20 showed $4.4 billion in net income on $14.6 billion in revenue, up 161% from a year earlier.

Updated Oct 23

SpaceX flies upgraded Starship V3 for the first time

New Capabilities

Says Flight 15 will attempt a tower catch of both stages, with an FAA license expected to cover it

Starship reached orbit for the first time on September 28, 2026, deploying 26 next-generation Starlink satellites. One Raptor 3 engine shut down during the climb, and SpaceX ended the flight early, splashing the ship down in the northern Pacific instead of spending hours in orbit.

Updated Oct 23

SpaceX prices the largest IPO in history

Money Moves

As of August 2026: Identified in S-1 as a key executive

SpaceX's first lockup wave freed 911.5 million insider shares on August 6, more than doubling the stock's tradable float to 11.8% of shares outstanding from 4.9%. SPCX touched a new intraday low of $105.11, below the July 28 record of $107.01. Heavy selling never showed up: shares reversed and traded higher for much of the day, at one point up as much as 6%.

Updated Aug 6

Trump accounts launch: America's first universal child investment program

Rule Changes

As of July 2026: Pledged $320 million in SpaceX stock for 2 million+ children

The program launched July 4, 2026, opening for contributions on America's 250th birthday. Treasury deposited $1,000 into 1.4 million eligible accounts, committing $1.4 billion in total; 6 million children are now enrolled.

Updated Jul 7

Commercial rideshare reshapes access to orbit

Built World

As of May 2026: Oversees commercial launch operations, including the Transporter and Bandwagon rideshare programs

For most of the space age, putting a satellite into orbit meant booking an entire rocketβ€”an option available only to governments and the largest companies. SpaceX's rideshare program inverted that model: pay by the kilogram, share the ride, and launch on a schedule set by the operator, not the customer.

Updated May 31

SpaceX Starlink becomes a weapon in Ukraine war

Force in Play

As of May 2026: Key decision-maker in Starlink military policy

Ukraine's military has depended on Starlink satellite internet since the first week of Russia's 2022 invasion. On February 5, 2026, SpaceX cut off Russian forces from that network, collapsing command systems and halving daily assault operations within hours.

Updated May 27