SpaceX-like companies in 2026: who else is building rockets and hiring aggressively
SpaceX redefined what a launch company could be: vertically integrated, iterating in hardware, reusing boosters, and operating at a cadence that legacy aerospace never attempted. But SpaceX is not the only company doing this anymore. A wave of launch startups and established competitors have adopted pieces of the SpaceX playbook while building their own vehicles, cultures, and approaches to getting hardware to orbit. If you want the SpaceX experience but cannot get hired there, or if you want a similar mission with a different work environment, these are the companies to watch in 2026.
This is not a list of every space company. It is a focused comparison of companies that share SpaceX's defining traits: they build launch vehicles, they iterate rapidly, and they are hiring engineers to work on hardware that flies.
Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab is the most operationally mature SpaceX competitor. The company has launched over 50 Electron rockets from pads in New Zealand and Virginia, making it the second most frequently launched US rocket company. In 2026, Rocket Lab is developing Neutron, a medium-lift reusable rocket designed to compete directly with Falcon 9 for satellite deployment missions.
What makes it SpaceX-like: Vertical integration (Rocket Lab builds its own engines, structures, avionics, and even solar cells), rapid iteration, and a founder-CEO (Peter Beck) who is deeply technical and mission-driven.
What is different: Rocket Lab is smaller (roughly 2,000 employees vs. SpaceX's 13,000+), publicly traded (RKLB on NASDAQ), and has a significant satellite manufacturing business alongside launch. The work culture is intense but generally considered more sustainable than SpaceX's most demanding teams.
Locations: Long Beach, CA (headquarters, Neutron development); Wallops Island, VA (launch); Auckland, NZ (Electron production); Albuquerque, NM (solar cells and spacecraft).
Salary: Junior engineers $90K-$115K; mid-career $120K-$155K; senior $150K-$195K. Public stock grants vest on a standard schedule. Browse Rocket Lab careers.
Blue Origin
Blue Origin has more capital behind it than any other SpaceX competitor. Jeff Bezos has invested over $10 billion of personal wealth into the company. In 2026, Blue Origin is flying New Shepard (suborbital tourism), developing New Glenn (heavy-lift orbital rocket), and building the BE-4 engine that also powers ULA's Vulcan Centaur.
What makes it SpaceX-like: Blue Origin builds its own engines, is developing reusable launch vehicles, and has significant vertical integration. New Glenn is designed with first-stage reuse from the start.
What is different: Blue Origin moves slower and more deliberately than SpaceX. The culture is less intense on hours, and the engineering philosophy prioritizes thoroughness over speed. New Glenn has faced significant development delays. Employee reviews frequently cite better work-life balance but slower decision-making compared to SpaceX.
Locations: Kent, WA (headquarters, engine development); Huntsville, AL (engine manufacturing); Cape Canaveral, FL (New Glenn launch); Van Horn, TX (New Shepard).
Salary: Junior engineers $95K-$120K; mid-career $125K-$160K; senior $155K-$200K. RSUs vest over four years. Browse Blue Origin careers.
Blue Origin's motto is "Gradatim Ferociter" (step by step, ferociously). In practice, the company emphasizes thorough engineering and careful testing over SpaceX's "move fast and break things" approach. For engineers who want to work on cutting-edge rocket technology but prefer a more methodical pace, Blue Origin is the natural alternative.
Relativity Space
Relativity Space is building Terran R, a fully reusable, 3D-printed medium-lift launch vehicle. The company's bet is that 3D printing (additive manufacturing) can dramatically reduce the part count, cost, and production time of rockets. Relativity's factory in Long Beach uses the world's largest metal 3D printers to produce rocket structures and engine components.
What makes it SpaceX-like: Founder-led (Tim Ellis, ex-Blue Origin), vertically integrated, focused on manufacturing innovation, and building both engines and vehicles in-house.
What is different: Relativity's competitive advantage is manufacturing technology, not flight heritage. Terran 1 (the first vehicle) flew once in 2023 but did not reach orbit. Terran R is a more ambitious vehicle and is still in development. The risk profile is higher than established launch providers.
Locations: Long Beach, CA (headquarters, factory); Stennis Space Center, MS (engine testing); Cape Canaveral, FL (launch).
Salary: Junior engineers $95K-$120K; mid-career $125K-$165K; senior $155K-$210K. Private equity grants. Browse Relativity Space careers.
Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace builds Alpha, a small launch vehicle, and is developing MLV (Medium Launch Vehicle) in partnership with Northrop Grumman. The company successfully reached orbit with Alpha in late 2023 and is building flight heritage.
What makes it SpaceX-like: Firefly designs and manufactures its own engines and vehicles, iterates based on flight data, and operates at a startup pace.
What is different: Firefly is smaller, earlier-stage, and based in central Texas (Cedar Park, near Austin). The MLV partnership with Northrop introduces a traditional aerospace partner into the mix, which changes the dynamics.
Locations: Cedar Park, TX (headquarters, manufacturing); Vandenberg SFB, CA (launch operations); Briggs, TX (engine testing).
Salary: Junior engineers $85K-$110K; mid-career $110K-$145K; senior $140K-$180K. Private equity for early employees.
Stoke Space
Stoke Space is building a fully reusable launch vehicle with an unconventional engine design: the second stage uses a ring of regeneratively cooled engines around its base that also serve as the heat shield during reentry. The company successfully demonstrated this technology in a full-scale hop test.
What makes it SpaceX-like: Technical ambition, full reusability goal, small team working on a complete vehicle system, hardware-first development approach.
What is different: Stoke is pre-revenue and pre-orbital with roughly 200 employees. The risk is higher, but the equity upside for early employees is also higher. The engineering team is small enough that individual contributors have outsized impact.
Locations: Kent, WA (headquarters).
Salary: Junior engineers $95K-$115K; mid-career $120K-$155K; senior $150K-$190K. Early-stage equity.
Comparison table
| Company | Vehicle | Reusable | Status (2026) | Employees | Mid-career salary | Public/Private |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | Falcon 9, Starship | Yes | Operational (100+ flights/yr) | ~13,000 | $135K–$175K | Private |
| Rocket Lab | Electron, Neutron | Neutron: Yes | Electron operational, Neutron in dev | ~2,000 | $120K–$155K | Public (RKLB) |
| Blue Origin | New Glenn, New Shepard | Yes | New Glenn in testing | ~10,000 | $125K–$160K | Private |
| Relativity Space | Terran R | Yes | In development | ~1,200 | $125K–$165K | Private |
| Firefly | Alpha, MLV | No (Alpha) | Alpha operational | ~600 | $110K–$145K | Private |
| Stoke Space | Nova | Yes | In development | ~200 | $120K–$155K | Private |
At pre-IPO companies (Relativity, Stoke, Firefly), equity grants can be worth a lot or nothing depending on whether the company succeeds. At public companies (Rocket Lab), your stock is liquid and you can sell it anytime. At SpaceX, equity is valuable but illiquid until a tender event. Factor your risk tolerance into your decision. If you need cash now, prioritize base salary and public stock. If you can tolerate risk, early-stage equity at a company that succeeds can be transformative.
ABL Space Systems
ABL Space Systems is building RS1, a small launch vehicle designed for rapid deployment from unprepared launch sites. The company's concept involves a containerized launch system that can be transported by standard shipping containers and set up in days rather than months. RS1 had its first launch attempt in 2023, which did not reach orbit.
What makes it SpaceX-like: ABL is building a complete launch system with its own engines (E2), designed for high-cadence operations with minimal ground infrastructure.
What is different: The focus is on small-sat launch (1,350 kg to LEO), not medium or heavy-lift. The deployable launch pad concept is unique. The company has Department of Defense contracts for responsive launch, which provides revenue stability during development.
Locations: El Segundo, CA (headquarters); Camden, AR (manufacturing and testing).
Salary: Junior engineers $90K-$110K; mid-career $115K-$150K; senior $145K-$185K. Private equity.
Impulse Space
Founded by SpaceX's former VP of Propulsion, Tom Mueller, Impulse Space builds orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs) that move satellites between orbits after deployment. The company's Mira vehicle provides last-mile delivery for satellites, taking payloads from the orbit where a launch vehicle drops them off to the orbit where they need to operate.
What makes it SpaceX-like: Founded by a SpaceX veteran who brings the same hardware-first, rapid iteration culture. The company designs and builds its own propulsion systems.
What is different: Impulse Space is not a launch company. It builds the "space tug" that operates after launch. This is a different market segment with different technical challenges.
Locations: Redondo Beach, CA.
Salary: Junior engineers $95K-$115K; mid-career $120K-$155K; senior $150K-$190K. Early-stage equity.
International SpaceX-like companies
Isar Aerospace (Germany). Building Spectrum, a small launch vehicle for the European market. Backed by significant venture capital. Headquarters in Munich.
RFA (Rocket Factory Augsburg, Germany). Developing RFA ONE, a small launch vehicle with staged combustion engines. German engineering culture applied to launch vehicle development.
Both companies are hiring engineers with EU work authorization and offer an alternative for those who want to work on launch vehicles but are not US persons (and therefore cannot work at ITAR-restricted US companies like SpaceX).
How to choose between these companies
The right choice depends on what you value:
- Highest salary and equity upside: SpaceX or Relativity Space (if it succeeds)
- Best work-life balance: Blue Origin or Rocket Lab
- Most flight heritage (excluding SpaceX): Rocket Lab
- Most cutting-edge manufacturing: Relativity Space
- Smallest team / most individual impact: Stoke Space or Firefly
- Public stock liquidity: Rocket Lab
Browse all commercial space jobs on Zero G Talent, or search by specific company to see current openings.
Frequently asked questions
Which SpaceX competitor is easiest to get hired at?
Smaller companies (Firefly, Stoke Space) have less competitive application pools because they are less well-known. The hiring bar is still high, but you are competing against hundreds of applicants instead of thousands. Rocket Lab and Blue Origin have more structured hiring processes similar to SpaceX.
Can I work at a SpaceX competitor if I previously worked at SpaceX?
Yes. Non-compete agreements in aerospace are generally unenforceable in California and limited in other states. SpaceX employees regularly move to Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Relativity, and other competitors. However, you must respect intellectual property and NDA obligations.
Do these companies also require US citizenship?
US launch vehicle companies (Rocket Lab US operations, Blue Origin, Relativity, Firefly, Stoke) require US person status for most technical roles due to ITAR. International operations (Rocket Lab New Zealand, Isar Aerospace, RFA) have different requirements based on their country's export control laws.
Which company pays the most?
SpaceX pays the highest total compensation when equity is included. For base salary alone, SpaceX and Blue Origin are comparable. Rocket Lab's base salaries are slightly lower but come with publicly tradeable stock. Relativity Space and Stoke offer competitive base salaries with private equity upside.
Are these companies stable employers?
Rocket Lab and Blue Origin are well-funded and operationally stable. Firefly has had financial challenges in the past but is currently funded. Relativity Space pivoted from Terran 1 to Terran R, which introduced uncertainty. Stoke Space is early-stage with associated risk. SpaceX is the most stable of the group due to its revenue from Falcon 9 launches and Starlink subscriptions.
