Shotwell has an expansive role at the rocket and satellite company, helping to foster its rise. With an IPO looming, the toughest stretch may still lie ahead.

The Federal Communications Commission said on Friday it has approved SpaceX's request to deploy another 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites as it works to boost internet service worldwide.

The FCC's partial grant lets SpaceX operate 7,500 more satellites, for a total of over 19,000 in Earth's orbit, and use even more radio bands at higher power limits.

By now you've heard the news: SpaceX will conduct an initial public offering of stock in 2026 -- at a valuation of $1.5 trillion. CEO Elon Musk personally owns 42% of the company. Added to the $484 billion Musk is already worth, a $1.5 trillion valuation on SpaceX would make him officially the world's first trillionaire.

In 2023, at a SpaceX campus just northeast of Seattle, the company converted a small office room into a production lab to help make satellites for global internet service provider

The Crew-11 mission is coming to an early end, as NASA indicates, resulting from an ill crewmember requiring non-emergent evacuation from the ISS.