Elon Musk pushes cost‑cutting at SpaceX and eyes a Starlink‑enabled smartphone

Elon Musk’s management at SpaceX focuses on rigorous cost control and operational efficiency. By questioning why rockets are single‑use and insisting on reusable first stages, SpaceX has cut launch expenses. Musk also breaks large goals into concrete engineering tasks, internalises key component production, and uses a “stupid index” to flag parts priced far above material costs, prompting redesign or in‑house manufacturing.

Separately, analysts note that SpaceX may be developing its own mobile handset. Investors have reportedly seen a prototype thinner than the iPhone that runs a proprietary operating system. The device would leverage Starlink satellite broadband and could be supported by a nascent ground‑network infrastructure, offering connectivity in remote or underserved areas. If realised, the phone would extend SpaceX’s value chain from satellites to end‑user devices, challenging traditional smartphone makers.