Benjamin Kellie

Benjamin Kellie is an aerospace entrepreneur and former SpaceX engineer who founded The Launch Company, an aerospace hardware and services company based in Anchorage, Alaska.12 He served as the CEO of The Launch Company from September 2015 to June 2023, when he sold the company to Voyager Space and exited.3

Kellie's career in aerospace began at SpaceX, where he worked as a Launch and Test Engineer from 2012 to 2014.3 He then led the field development of SpaceX's first landing barges, "Just Read the Instructions" and "Of Course I Still Love You," serving as the 'Deck Boss' during landing operations.13

In 2015, Kellie left SpaceX to start The Launch Company, which aimed to revolutionize access to space by developing standardized launch sites with automated operations.3 The company provided hardware parts and consulting services to various aerospace companies, including SpaceX.1

After selling The Launch Company, Kellie is currently on a sabbatical break, exploring new horizons and focusing on understanding the motivations behind taking on massive challenges in hard tech development.3 He continues to work with select teams through his design firm Laylu and volunteers in his community.3

Kellie holds a BS from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and an MS from The Ohio State University.3