Gwynne Shotwell
President and chief operating officer of SpaceX
- Age
- 62 yrs
- Birthday in 18 days
- Works listed
- 0
- Career highlights
- Honours
- 2
- Most recent 2023
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Gwynne Shotwell is an American engineer and business executive who is president and chief operating officer of SpaceX. Joining in 2002 as its seventh employee, she won the NASA contracts that funded the company and oversees its operations as it became the world’s leading launch provider.
Biography
Background
Shotwell grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, and studied mechanical engineering and applied mathematics at Northwestern University. She worked at Chrysler and the Aerospace Corporation.
Joining SpaceX
She joined SpaceX in 2002 as vice-president of business development. She won early launch contracts and NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services and resupply contracts, which kept the company alive.
President
Shotwell became president and COO in 2008. Under her, SpaceX launched cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station, built Starlink and made rocket reuse routine. She is regarded as the person who turns Elon Musk’s goals into working business.
Recognition
She was inducted into the Women in Technology Hall of Fame in 2012 and appears regularly on lists of the most powerful women in business.
Timeline
-
1963
Born in Evanston, Illinois, United States
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1986
Graduates from Northwestern
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2002
Joins SpaceX
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2008
President and COO
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2012
Dragon reaches the ISS
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2020
Crew Dragon flies astronauts
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2023
Washington Award
Awards and honours
-
Women in Technology Hall of Fame
2012
-
Washington Award
2023
Did you know?
-
1
She chose engineering after hearing a female engineer speak at a Society of Women Engineers event.
-
2
She has said SpaceX could carry people between cities by rocket.
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3
She is on SpaceX’s board of directors.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Gwynne Shotwell?
Gwynne Shotwell is an American engineer and business executive who is president and chief operating officer of SpaceX. Joining in 2002 as its seventh employee, she won the NASA contracts that funded the company and oversees its operations as it became the world’s leading launch provider.
How old is Gwynne Shotwell?
Gwynne Shotwell is 62 years old, born on 23 November 1963 in Evanston, Illinois, United States.
Where is Gwynne Shotwell from?
Gwynne Shotwell was born in Evanston, Illinois, United States.
What is Gwynne Shotwell known for?
Gwynne Shotwell is best known for Running SpaceX’s day-to-day operations; winning NASA contracts; reusable rockets.
What awards has Gwynne Shotwell received?
Notable honours include Women in Technology Hall of Fame (2012), Washington Award (2023).
References
- Gwynne Shotwell — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Gwynne Shotwell — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Gwynne Shotwell (Q1557944) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Gwynne Shotwell”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Gwynne Shotwell.” TrackFame, last updated 4 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/gwynne-shotwell
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