6 Best Billionaire Rockets, Ranked

When billionaires get tired of superyachts, private islands, hostile takeovers and empire building, they do what any ultra-wealthy person with too much time and money does: they start building rockets. 

Well, let’s be real. They’re not building these space-worthy contraptions with their own hands like the Wright Brothers did the first aeroplane, but money does buy progress, and now the space race is back, and this time it’s personal. Gone are the Cold War superpowers that pushed us from Sputnik to the moon, no longer just funded by governments and international collaboration. Instead of Kruschev and JFK, we now have a collection of tech moguls launching themselves (and a bunch of celebrities) into outer space. Some are chasing Mars and others are chasing headlines, but all want to win the ultimate game of billionaire one-upmanship.

Here’s our list of the best billionaire-backed rockets, judged on more than just altitude. Think real missions, actual launches, and a healthy dose of space-fuelled showmanship. If you can’t tell by now, this is one part satire, two parts serious, because these aren’t a mere Spruce Moose, they’re the real deal.

Best Billionaire Rockets at a Glance

Highlights from our list include the following rockets:

• Best overall: SpaceX, Elon Musk
• Winner of the billionaire space race: Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson
• Most compensatory: Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos

Now you’ve read about our favourites, let’s check out the complete list.

1. SpaceX – Elon Musk

Rocket: Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Starship

SpaceX is the clear leader in private spaceflight. It’s got the most launches, the boldest goals, and a track record that’s hard to argue with (mostly). Falcon 9 is the workhorse, regularly hauling satellites, cargo and astronauts into orbit. Falcon Heavy lifts more than anything else in the game. And then there’s Starship, still in testing but designed for lunar missions and, eventually, Mars.

It was the first private company to launch astronauts for NASA, and its Starlink satellite network is already blanketing large parts of the globe (with plenty of expansion still in the works). It’s also been picked to land NASA astronauts on the Moon through the Artemis program. So we can certainly expect a moon colony soon, right?

• Rocket Models:
  • Falcon 9 – Reusable orbital rocket
  • Falcon Heavy – Heavy-lift launcher
  • Starship – Fully reusable next-gen spacecraft (in development/testing)
• Founded: 2002
• Headquarters: Hawthorne, California
• Notable Milestones:
  • First private company to launch astronauts (NASA Crew Dragon)
  • Over 300 successful launches (Falcon 9)
  • Leading low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network via Starlink
• Key Missions:
  • International Space Station resupply and crew delivery
  • Starlink satellite constellation
  • Artemis program lunar lander development (NASA contract)
  • Future Mars colonisation
• Status: Operational

2. Blue Origin – Jeff Bezos

Rocket: New Shepard, New Glenn

Blue Origin moves at a slower pace but still packs a punch. New Shepard, the suborbital rocket, is mainly a space tourism vehicle, taking passengers just above the edge of space. It famously flew William Shatner and Bezos himself. The upcoming New Glenn is built for orbital missions and is expected to compete with the bigger players soon.

Blue Origin also supplies engines to other launch firms, like ULA’s Vulcan, and is developing lunar landers for NASA. It’s not as fast-moving as SpaceX, but it’s got deep pockets and a plan for long-term space infrastructure. That’s a big ambition, even if progress is like a baby learning to walk.

• Rocket Models:
  • New Shepard – Suborbital crewed flights
  • New Glenn – Orbital launch vehicle (under development)
• Founded: 2000
• Headquarters: Kent, Washington
• Notable Milestones:
  • First suborbital passenger flight in 2021
  • Took 90-year-old William Shatner to space
  • Developing BE-4 engines for ULA’s Vulcan rocket
• Key Missions:
  • Space tourism
  • Future orbital and lunar missions (Blue Moon lander)
  • Supporting NASA Artemis with Human Landing System partnerships
• Status: Suborbital success, orbital ambitions

3. Virgin Galactic – Richard Branson

Rocket: VSS Unity (spaceplane)

Branson wins the style award because, of course, he would. Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity is a winged spaceplane carried to high altitude before firing its rocket. It’s not orbital, but it offers a taste of space with plenty of aesthetic design choices to fill the gaps. 

But here’s a fun fact to take to your next trivia game: Branson beat Bezos to space by a few days in 2021, becoming the first billionaire to ride his own rocket.

Virgin Galactic is aimed squarely at high-end space tourism, offering a microgravity thrill ride for those who’ve done everything else. Not groundbreaking science, but it looks good on Instagram.

• Rocket Models:
  • VSS Unity – Suborbital spaceplane (rocket-powered glider)
• Founded: 2004
• Headquarters: Mojave, California
• Notable Milestones:
  • First billionaire in space (Branson, July 2021)
  • Multiple suborbital flights with civilian passengers
• Key Missions:
  • Commercial space tourism
  • High-altitude microgravity research
• Status: Suborbital only, style over substance (for now)

4. Rocket Lab – Peter Beck

Rocket: Electron, Neutron (in development)

Rocket Lab is the underdog that gets results. Its Electron rocket focuses on small satellite launches and has flown over 40 missions. It’s fast and reliable and has even tried recovering boosters with helicopters.

Headquartered in California but launching from New Zealand, Rocket Lab has a unique setup. It’s working with NASA and the US Department of Defence and has big plans for its upcoming Neutron rocket, aimed at heavier payloads and reusability. It’s not as flashy as the others, but it’s innovative, efficient and quietly growing.

• Rocket Models:
  • Electron – Small satellite launcher
  • Neutron – Medium-lift reusable rocket (in development)
• Founded: 2006
• Headquarters: Long Beach, California (launches in New Zealand)
• Notable Milestones:
  • Over 40 Electron launches
  • Partial rocket recovery attempts using helicopters
  • High flight cadence in the small satellite market
• Key Missions:
  • Commercial satellite launches
  • Government and defence contracts (including NASA, DoD)
• Status: Operational, poised for major growth

5. Astra – Chris Kemp

Rocket: Rocket 3, Rocket 4

The flight path Astra has taken has been turbulent to say the least. Its Rocket 3 program was grounded after repeated failures, and Rocket 4 is now being developed from the ground up, hoping to turn things around.

Once hyped as a low-cost option for quick launches, Astra was even briefly listed on the NASDAQ. But its performance didn’t match the pitch. Although the company is in a rebuilding phase to regain the trust of investors and the public, that can mean only one thing: more (reliable) rockets.

• Rocket Models:
  • Rocket 3 – Discontinued
  • Rocket 4 – Redesign underway (2025 goal)
• Founded: 2016
• Headquarters: Alameda, California
• Notable Milestones:
  • Multiple failed launches
  • Public company (briefly soared, now struggling)
  • Pivoting to larger and more reliable launch vehicles
• Key Missions:
  • Low-cost satellite launch provider
• Status: In rebuilding phase

6. Firefly Aerospace – Max Polyakov / Bill Weber

Rocket: Alpha

Firefly had a rocky start but is back in the game. Its Alpha rocket finally launched successfully in 2022 after an earlier failure, and it’s targeting the small-to-medium satellite market. A larger rocket, Beta, is also in development.

It’s been selected for NASA’s lunar delivery program and is drawing interest from defence clients. Firefly has seen bankruptcy, new leadership and a rebrand, but it’s still standing and starting to gain momentum.

• Rocket Models:
  • Alpha – Small satellite launch vehicle
  • Beta – Medium-lift vehicle (planned)
• Founded: 2017 (restructured from an earlier version)
• Headquarters: Cedar Park, Texas
• Notable Milestones:
  • First successful Alpha launch in October 2022
  • Working with NASA for lunar delivery via Blue Ghost lander
• Key Missions:
  • Defence and commercial payloads
  • Lunar surface delivery (NASA CLPS program)
• Status: Growing player in the small-to-medium market

So, if you’re picking a billionaire rocket for your next satellite launch, Instagram-worthy spaceflight or Moon base dream, you’ve got options. Some are winning contracts, some are chasing tourism, and some are still trying to get off the ground. One thing’s certain: Space is no longer just for astronauts. It’s for billionaires, their rockets and everyone watching from below.