Musk to SpaceX staff — “SpaceX must become a leaner company”
January 2019 email announcing layoffs of about 10% of staff to fund Starship and Starlink — efforts Musk says “have bankrupted other organizations.”
To continue delivering for our customers and to succeed in developing interplanetary spacecraft and a global space-based Internet, SpaceX must become a leaner company. Either of these developments, even when attempted separately, have bankrupted other organizations. This means we must part ways with some talented and hardworking members of our team. We are grateful for everything they have accomplished and their commitment to SpaceX's mission. […]