While Musk takes a lot of credit for his vision, in Shotwell he found the perfect executive to run SpaceX like a finely oiled machine. She is one of the most admired and respected executives in our industry, and an inspiration for young women around the world.
We have 26-30 flights in 2018, but around half of those will be flight proven.
Everybody should learn from failure, and we have done that, although, obviously, we would prefer not to have failures. We have become a lot more cognizant of the impact of any small change that we make — we have always been mindful of the medium and big changes — and ensure all are thoroughly vetted. We have the recipe right now. We launched 18 times last year. We landed every rocket we set out to. But even though we have the recipe for launch and landing, and for refurbishing and relaunching, I don’t want to say we will never change again.
Does this make Elon Planetary executive of the year?
Quote from: speedevil on 02/16/2018 08:34 pmDoes this make Elon Planetary executive of the year?Not sure she’s orbiting around him… more like she’s a stable body managing his erratic orbit
Quote from: dcporter on 02/18/2018 02:40 amQuote from: speedevil on 02/16/2018 08:34 pmDoes this make Elon Planetary executive of the year?Not sure she’s orbiting around him… more like she’s a stable body managing his erratic orbitThere's a point at which anyone's skill set drops off to the potential detriment of a business. Successful businesses are started when a complementary set of skill sets are brought together and allowed to each own/run their piece of the action. Musk and Shotwell have achieved such a partnering. (Add in Tom Mueller and several others...) Difficult to replace either and have same results.
Quote from: AncientU on 02/18/2018 11:36 amQuote from: dcporter on 02/18/2018 02:40 amQuote from: speedevil on 02/16/2018 08:34 pmDoes this make Elon Planetary executive of the year?Not sure she’s orbiting around him… more like she’s a stable body managing his erratic orbitThere's a point at which anyone's skill set drops off to the potential detriment of a business. Successful businesses are started when a complementary set of skill sets are brought together and allowed to each own/run their piece of the action. Musk and Shotwell have achieved such a partnering. (Add in Tom Mueller and several others...) Difficult to replace either and have same results.This of course raises the question of what happens when one or both of them (or Tom) is no longer with SpaceX, will the company continue on the same course?
This of course raises the question of what happens when one or both of them (or Tom) is no longer with SpaceX, will the company continue on the same course?
Seriously though, my hunch is that Tom and Elon are important for SpaceX’s *future plans*, which would be imperiled if either of them left, while Gwynne is important for continuing its *current success*, which is necessary for funding the future plans.
Tom is awesome, but once raptor is done he’s no longer essential for BFR.
Tom is awesome, but once raptor is done he’s no longer essential for BFR. I do, however, expect SpaceX to find more work for Tom, like working on a variable mix hydrolox engine or even a nuclear thermal rocket engine. But in the meantime they’ll probably want to keep pushing the chamber pressure of Raptor higher and higher.Still, I think Gwynne and Elon are more fundamentally important for the future of SpaceX.
Quote from: Robotbeat on 02/18/2018 04:26 pmTom is awesome, but once raptor is done he’s no longer essential for BFR. New tasks: A primitive, bulletproof engine for a fleet of MArshoppers.An engine optimized for Jupiter/Saturn/The Belt/The Cloud. (H2 after all:)Far out engine for going, well, really far out.If Tom decides to stay in the engine business, create awesome stuff, I do not think he can go anywhere else. (Of course, if China decides to really conquer the Solar System....)
Quote from: Robotbeat on 02/18/2018 04:26 pmTom is awesome, but once raptor is done he’s no longer essential for BFR. I do, however, expect SpaceX to find more work for Tom, like working on a variable mix hydrolox engine or even a nuclear thermal rocket engine. But in the meantime they’ll probably want to keep pushing the chamber pressure of Raptor higher and higher.Still, I think Gwynne and Elon are more fundamentally important for the future of SpaceX.100 year starship
Congratulations @GwynneShotwell on winning the 30th Satellite Executive of the year award at #SATshow. You and your “rockstar” team are an inspiration to the whole space industry.🍾 👏🚀🛰
Quote from: Dante2121 on 02/18/2018 09:32 pmQuote from: Robotbeat on 02/18/2018 04:26 pmTom is awesome, but once raptor is done he’s no longer essential for BFR. I do, however, expect SpaceX to find more work for Tom, like working on a variable mix hydrolox engine or even a nuclear thermal rocket engine. But in the meantime they’ll probably want to keep pushing the chamber pressure of Raptor higher and higher.Still, I think Gwynne and Elon are more fundamentally important for the future of SpaceX.100 year starshipGwynne's the only one out of the trio that expressed an interest in interstellar travel as far as I know, which is amusing given her clear level headedness when running the business.
This year’s Goddard Astronautics Award has been presented to Gwynne E. Shotwell @SpaceX for her leadership and vision in the field of space exploration and contributions to aerospace technology.
Gwynne’s awesome. Been SpaceX prez for 10 years. Super love working with her.
SpaceX’s Secret Weapon Is Gwynne ShotwellShe launches spaceships, sells rockets, and deals with Elon Musk.By Max Chafkin and Dana Hull
Great article on Gwynne and all she does. Lots of good background on why she deserves her awards, including stories I hadn’t heard before (such as briefing Iridium investors which helped close the Iridium launch deal).QuoteSpaceX’s Secret Weapon Is Gwynne ShotwellShe launches spaceships, sells rockets, and deals with Elon Musk.By Max Chafkin and Dana Hullhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-07-26/she-launches-spaceships-sells-rockets-and-deals-with-elon-musk
Really admire Gwynne and she fully deserves all the credit and awards that she gets. However, I couldn't help but feel that particular article was yet another hit piece (albeit more subtle than most others) against Elon. The bandwagon is getting pretty full as the journalists go into pack hunting mentality.
Quote from: FutureSpaceTourist on 07/27/2018 04:40 amGreat article on Gwynne and all she does. Lots of good background on why she deserves her awards, including stories I hadn’t heard before (such as briefing Iridium investors which helped close the Iridium launch deal).QuoteSpaceX’s Secret Weapon Is Gwynne ShotwellShe launches spaceships, sells rockets, and deals with Elon Musk.By Max Chafkin and Dana Hullhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-07-26/she-launches-spaceships-sells-rockets-and-deals-with-elon-muskReally admire Gwynne and she fully deserves all the credit and awards that she gets. However, I couldn't help but feel that particular article was yet another hit piece (albeit more subtle than most others) against Elon. The bandwagon is getting pretty full as the journalists go into pack hunting mentality.
Gwynne interview clips on www.makers.com
Elon as the risk and Gwynne as the reliability
Martin has said that it is impossible to rank Lennon and McCartney's respective contributions to the Beatles. "It's like asking what's the most important constituent in a sauce vinaigrette, the oil or the vinegar?"
Tim FernHolz in his book Rocket Billionaires directly quotes a CEO at one of SpaceX's statelite payload customers (he doesn't say who) as saying that he (the CEO) saw QuoteElon as the risk and Gwynne as the reliabilityI'd take that as Elon providing the entrepreneurial drive and risk taking that goes with that and Gwynne as the operational delivery nous.It may that it's a complementary set of attributes in the same way to the Beatles that George Martin put so well when asked about about Lennon and McCartney's contributions to the Beatleshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4711552/Must-it-be-Lennon-or-McCartney.htmlQuoteMartin has said that it is impossible to rank Lennon and McCartney's respective contributions to the Beatles. "It's like asking what's the most important constituent in a sauce vinaigrette, the oil or the vinegar?"
Quote from: noogie on 07/29/2018 02:44 amTim FernHolz in his book Rocket Billionaires directly quotes a CEO at one of SpaceX's statelite payload customers (he doesn't say who) as saying that he (the CEO) saw QuoteElon as the risk and Gwynne as the reliabilityI'd take that as Elon providing the entrepreneurial drive and risk taking that goes with that and Gwynne as the operational delivery nous.It may that it's a complementary set of attributes in the same way to the Beatles that George Martin put so well when asked about about Lennon and McCartney's contributions to the Beatleshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4711552/Must-it-be-Lennon-or-McCartney.htmlQuoteMartin has said that it is impossible to rank Lennon and McCartney's respective contributions to the Beatles. "It's like asking what's the most important constituent in a sauce vinaigrette, the oil or the vinegar?" That dynamic exists in most trailblazing companies, you need "one of each".The special thing about SpaceX is that the startup dynamics are preserved even as the company is now large(ish) and is dominating a market with a real product. Usually, at that point, companies lose their drive/edge.
I just love that she is so often seen laughing and smiling. I'm sure she is all "down to business" when it counts, but this is someone I think I would love to work for.
25 Women Changing the FutureCelebrating 25 years of revolutionary women.by The EditorsSep 24, 2019
Words to live by:“Life is way too short to drink crappy wine.”Legacy you hope to leave:“My two wonderful children are legacy enough. Except maybe helping humanity manage risk by enabling people to live on other planets. Just those two things.”
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell Makes It To Forbes 2019's list of '100 Most Powerful Women'December 15, 2019 • Evelyn J. ArevaloGwynne Shotwell is an admirable woman, she is an Engineer, President and Chief operating officer of SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk. She may well be, one of the best stories of success for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields over the last decade. These fields have a long history of lack of diversity and inclusion, even to this day. Determined against all odds she gained the opportunity to lead in the most innovative industry that will forever change humanity's future.
SpaceX President & COO Gwynne Shotwell named to @TIME Magazine's "100 Most Influential People of 2020," with her bio written by NASA astronaut Kathryn Sullivan:https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2020/5888439/gwynne-shotwell/
Congratulations, Gwynne
Of course she's all that. I'm a #1 fan too...
Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of @SpaceX, received the @Via_Satellite 2020 Satellite Executive of the Year award during the 2021 @SATELLITEDC digital awards ceremony today. She led SpaceX's growth into a commercial launch & LEO leader. Learn more: bit.ly/3pRiG4W
Gwynne Shotwell could technically, be credited with the executive leadership of two separate record-shattering businesses in the same year. SpaceX is both the world’s most active launch service and largest Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity provider. They have arguably both changed and dominated the industry in a decade’s time. Shotwell won Via Satellite’s Executive of the Year Award in 2017 and was recognized for the company’s ground-breaking achievements in reusable rocket technology. She wraps up 2020 with an even better performance in every metric.Let’s start with the launch business. SpaceX broke its single year launch record in 2020 with 26 missions, which included both its 100th successful Falcon 9 rocket launch and its 100th successful space mission. The company launched the first two crewed missions to the International Space Station to lift off from the United States since the retirement of the NASA Space Shuttle in 2011. The launch on May 30 captured the world’s attention and rejuvenated the public’s investment in space exploration.It almost flies under the radar that SpaceX shattered its reusable rocket recovery record in 2020. During the year, it successfully landed 23 boosters (compared to 15 in 2019), for a remarkable 88.5 percent booster recovery rate. The company also hit a single booster re-use record of seven missions for a single booster (up from four in the previous year).Now, let’s talk about Starlink, SpaceX’s LEO constellation of more than 1,000 satellites. Of SpaceX’s 26 successful 2020 launch missions, 14 of those sent batches of Starlink satellites to Low-Earth Orbit. In December, Starlink won more than $885 million in federal subsidies from the FCC to serve U.S. households on the other side of the digital divide. Starlink is essentially following the development path of its sister launch business – secure a substantial government investment and long-term stability that provides the foundation for a strong commercial business.Starlink now drives nearly all of the industry’s conversation about the future of commercial satellite connectivity. Every internet satellite service provider, regardless of orbit or region, must now compete with or prepare to compete with SpaceX.Some may ask why Gwynne Shotwell, and not SpaceX Founder and CEO Elon Musk, is being considered for this award. Musk has made it clear that he considers himself more the technological leader of SpaceX rather than the financial executive. He prefers to be known as SpaceX’s chief engineer and admits that Shotwell provides the financial leadership. Regardless, Shotwell is not a quiet, behind-the-scenes presence. She is one of the United States’ most influential businesswomen and commercial space advocates and enjoyed tremendous success in 2020.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, in recorded remarks to the virtual @SATELLITEDC ceremony, says she's accepting the award "not for myself, but for the extraordinary people at SpaceX that did such extraordinary things in such a weirdo year."
.@Gwynne_Shotwell, who has now won @Via_Satellite executive of the year in 2017 and 2020, notes that @IridiumBoss "also won this award twice, and so I feel doubly blessed and honored, as he's one of my favorite people in this industry."
Any time you can share an honor with someone like @Gwynne_Shotwell is a good day, but today is her day. She's such a fantastic choice for executive of the year - again. We agree it's probably not appropriate to call us members of the "two-timer club"... 😅
Frankly, I’m just surprised that SpaceX doesn’t win all the space awards every year. What did anyone else in the industry plausibly do better than Gwynne in 2018 and 2019?
Quote from: M.E.T. on 04/06/2021 04:36 amFrankly, I’m just surprised that SpaceX doesn’t win all the space awards every year. What did anyone else in the industry plausibly do better than Gwynne in 2018 and 2019?Well, Boeing made more money for doing less work...
NSS Presents Gwynne Shotwell Top Award at the Online 2021 International Space Development Conferenceby National Space Society | Jun 23, 2021 | Event, ISDC, National Space Society, NSS Awards, NSS Press ReleasesThis Year’s Virtual Conference Streams Free to AllThe National Space Society is proud to announce the presentation of the prestigious Wernher von Braun Memorial Award to SpaceX President and CEO Gwynne Shotwell at its annual International Space Development Conference®, which will be held virtually this year from June 24 through the 27th. Ms. Shotwell will speak on the future of SpaceX’s endeavors and on the development and exploration of cislunar space.Shotwell joined SpaceX in 2002 when the company was in its earliest stages. She was promoted to president of the company in 2008 following her successful negotiation with NASA for the Commercial Resupply Services contract. Her responsibilities have included building the launch manifest of the company’s revolutionary Falcon 9 rocket, which has captured a large portion of global launch contracts. Shotwell was also integral to SpaceX’s successful bid to deliver astronauts to the International Space Station, which the company accomplished in 2020.Shotwell spoke at TEDx conferences in 2013 and 2018 and makes regular public appearances to advance STEM causes. In 2018 she was named one of Forbes magazine’s Top 50 Women in Tech, and in 2020 was selected by TIME magazine as one of the top 100 most influential people. She has also been inducted into the Women in Technology Hall of Fame.The International Space Development Conference is a four-day virtual event that will focus on key areas of space development: space settlement, space policy, space solar power, lunar development, and international space programs. It highlights areas of interest laid out in the National Space Society’s Roadmap to Space Settlement. Attendance of the first three days is free of charge. The ISDC can be viewed on Space.com, the NSS Facebook page, and on Roku, Amazon Fire, and a variety of other streaming services.
Gwynne Shotwell accepting the Space Cowgirl Award for her 11,000 SpaceX employees who are “throwing more shit into space than anyone else and doing to change the world.”
https://twitter.com/gregwautry/status/1586176781501206528QuoteGwynne Shotwell accepting the Space Cowgirl Award for her 11,000 SpaceX employees who are “throwing more shit into space than anyone else and doing to change the world.”
Congratulations, @Gwynne_Shotwell!Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, to Receive the 2023 National Space Trophy
RESOURCES 2023 PRESS/PHOTO INFORMATIONPress ReleaseGwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, to Receive the 2023 National Space TrophyRotary National Award for Space AchievementJanuary 26, 2023Media Contact: Lindsey Cousins, 281-480-2486, [email protected]The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation has selected Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, to receive the 2023 National Space Trophy. The banquet honoring Ms. Shotwell will be held on April 28, 2023, at the Houston Hyatt Regency in Houston, Texas.Rodolfo Gonzalez, president of the RNASA Foundation, said, "The RNASA Foundation is excited to recognize Ms. Shotwell as the guest of honor at the 2023 Space Award Gala."Shotwell was nominated for the award by Rob Meyerson, founder and CEO of Delalune Space. In recommending Shotwell, Meyerson described her as "a strong leader, engineer, and trusted partner to NASA, the Air Force, the National Security community, and commercial customers." In a 2020 Bloomberg article, Matthew Desch, CEO of Iridium Communications Inc. said, "She's got the technical savvy, and that underpins her being a great salesperson. But she never tries to oversell, and she's always open and honest."Shotwell joined SpaceX in 2002 as its first Vice President of Business Development. One of the company's first dozen employees, she was initially responsible for selling launches to commercial and government customers before the company had operational rockets.Shotwell became President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX in 2008. She is responsible for day-to-day operations, including production, launch, sales, mission management, finance, and management of all customer and strategic relations to support company growth. As President, she leads more than 10,000 employees.SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. In 2008, Its Falcon 1 rocket was the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to successfully reach Earth orbit. In 2012, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station, and it continues to be the only private company capable of returning a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit. In 2018, Falcon Heavy made its first launch to orbit – with more than 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, Falcon Heavy is one of the most capable rockets flying. SpaceX's fleet of reusable Falcon launch vehicles are the first and only orbital class rockets capable of re-flight, completing more than 200 missions to-date. In 2020, SpaceX helped NASA return human spaceflight to the United States, and in 2021 NASA selected SpaceX to develop the Starship human landing system to help return astronauts to the surface of the Moon. SpaceX is also deploying its global Starlink network which is licensed to operate on all seven continents and is providing service to more than 1 million customers around the world.Shotwell grew up north of Chicago and graduated with honors from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Applied Mathematics. She began her aerospace career at The Aerospace Corporation in 1988, where she spent more than ten years in space systems engineering, technology, and project management. She was promoted to chief engineer of an MLV-class satellite program, managed a landmark study for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on commercial space transportation, and completed an extensive analysis of space policy for NASA's future investment in space transportation. She was recruited to Microcosm's Space Systems Division, where she served on the executive committee and directed corporate business development.Shotwell served on the California Space Authority Board of Directors and its executive committee from 2004 to 2011. In 2014 she was appointed to the Export-Import Bank of the United States Advisory Committee and the FAA Management Advisory Council. Shotwell joined the Polaris Industries board of directors in 2019. She has received the World Technology Award for Individual Achievement in Space, was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame, and is an elected fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Through leadership in both corporate and external programs, Ms. Shotwell has helped raise over $1.4 million for STEM education programs reaching thousands of students nationwide. She has authored dozens of papers on a variety of space-related subjects.The RNASA Foundation invites members of the public and the aerospace community to attend the black-tie event on April 28, 2023, at the Houston Hyatt Regency, where Ms. Shotwell will be recognized with the National Space Trophy during the 35th annual RNASA gala. Please visit http://www.rnasa.org/tables.html to reserve your table for the gala and find information about sponsorships and tickets. To reserve a room at the Houston Hyatt Regency, please visit http://www.rnasa.org/houston.html or call 713-654-1234 and request the RNASA group rate.About the RNASA Foundation: The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation was founded by the Space Center Rotary Club of Houston, Texas in 1985 to organize and coordinate an annual event to recognize outstanding achievements in space and create greater public awareness of the benefits of space exploration. The nonprofit Foundation presents the National Space Trophy and Stellar Awards each year. The RNASA website is http://www.rnasa.org.
I had a great time last night at the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement 2023 gala, celebrating achievements in the space industry. It was wonderful seeing friends and sharing in the excitement of the awardees.
Congratulations to Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of @SpaceX, for receiving the foundation’s most prestigious award, the National Space Trophy. The award has been given out annually since 1987 to an outstanding American who has made major contributions to our nation's space program.
Every year, the Edison Awards honors one or more individuals who, through their careers, their leadership and their achievements, have distinguished themselves by making a significant and lasting contribution to the world of innovation.The Edison Achievement Award recognizes and celebrates their contribution to human-centered design, the value and differentiation they create, the positive influence they have on existing, new and emerging markets and the impact they have on the world.
QuoteCongratulations to Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of @SpaceX, for receiving the foundation’s most prestigious award, the National Space Trophy. The award has been given out annually since 1987 to an outstanding American who has made major contributions to our nation's space program.