SpaceX VP Hans Koenigsmann, one of Elon Musk's earliest hires, is retiring and will be replaced by a former NASA official

<p><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/601a732fee136f00183a9f87-2400/GettyImages-621034868.jpg" border="0" alt="Hans Koenigsmann, VP of Mission Assurance of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, speaks at the World Space Risk Forum (WSRF) in Dubai on November 4, 2016." data-mce-source="KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Hans Koenigsmann, VP of Mission Assurance of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, speaks at the World Space Risk Forum (WSRF) in Dubai on November 4, 2016."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>SpaceX vice president Hans Koenigsmann, Elon Musk's seventh hire at the company, said Tuesday he planned to retire.</p><p>He would be replaced by William Gerstenmaier, a former NASA official that joined the space company a year ago, he told staff.</p><p>In a memo to SpaceX employees in late January that was seen by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/02/spacex-vp-hans-koenigsmann-to-retire-elon-musks-fourth-hire.html">CNBC</a>, Koenigsmann said he had been thinking about retirement, and that now was the right time to pass the role on to Gerstenmaier.</p><p>Koenigsmann said he would work part-time as a technical advisor on the quality and reliability of SpaceX's engineering. He described working for Elon Musk as the honor of a lifetime.</p><p>Gerstenmaier, who joined SpaceX in 2020, will take over the role of vice president. During his four decades at NASA, he served as the associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operationsthe top job for leading NASA's human spaceflight programsfor nearly 14 years.</p><p>SpaceX didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment about Koenigsmann's retirement plans.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-starship-natural-gas-wells-boca-chica-village-beach-faa-2021-1'r=kd-sub">Leaked FAA document reveals SpaceX wants to build its own rocket-fuel power plants in Texas</a></em></p><p>Koenigsmann, a German aerospace engineer, was Musk's seventh overall hire, and fourth technical hire at the space venture. He joined in 2002, the same year that SpaceX was founded, and has been in charge of many of the company's missions and launches.</p><p>Before joining SpaceX, he studied a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and Production Technology at the University of Bremen.</p><p>In 2014, he was awarded the <a href="https://searchpub.nssc.nasa.gov/servlet/sm.web.Fetch/2014-AHA-Brochure-NASA-People.pdf'rhid=1000&amp;did=1902638&amp;type=released">NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal</a> for his contribution to the space industry.</p><p>Koenigsmann told <a href="https://historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/oral_histories/C3PO/KoenigsmannH/KoenigsmannH_1-15-13.htm">NASA historians</a> in 2013 that met Musk at a rocket launch in California's Mojave desert, after which Musk came to his house to interview him because SpaceX had no office.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-inspiration4-first-ever-private-astronaut-mission-in-late-2021-2021-2" >SpaceX to launch billionaire Jared Isaacman into space with a mission of 3 private astronauts on the Crew Dragon</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-sn9-starship-mars-test-rocket-explodes-boca-chica-texas-2021-2" >SpaceX's new Starship rocket prototype soared 6 miles above Texas, but exploded during a landing attempt</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-crew-1-mission-timeline-nasa-astronaut-launch-2020-11" >SpaceX just launched its longest and most ambitious NASA mission to date. Here's how the rest of the journey will go.</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starlink-beta-uk-elon-musk-spacex-satellite-broadband-2021-1" >Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service has been approved in the UK, and people are already receiving their beta kits</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-iss-axiom-first-private-space-crew-nasa-rocket-2021-1" >Meet the Axiom Space crew who are paying $55 million each to fly on a SpaceX rocket to the International Space Station</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-hans-koenigsmann-vpretiring-fourth-hire-2021-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/candy-corn-ingredients-made-of-gelatin-lac-resin-halloween-sugar-syrup-2017-10">What candy corn is actually made of</a></p>
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