American rocket engineer who served as SpaceX's VP of Propulsion (2002–2020) — designing the Merlin and Raptor engines that power Falcon 9 and Starship — making him the engineer most responsible for the propulsion technology that enabled SpaceX's success.
Designed the Merlin engine that powers Falcon 9 — the engine that has completed hundreds of consecutive successful flights, making Falcon 9 the most reliable and lowest-cost orbital rocket ever built — and the Raptor engine for Starship, which is the most powerful rocket engine ever built.
Discussing
Ask anything about Tom Mueller — their ideas, influences, contradictions, legacy.
Sign in to start a conversation.