<p>SpaceX plans to lay off 10 percent of its more than 6,000 employees, a source familiar with the decision said on Friday.</p>.<p>"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," the California-based company, headed by Elon Musk, said in a statement to AFP.</p>.<p>"Either of these developments, even when attempted separately, have bankrupted other organizations," it added.</p>.<p>"This means we must part ways with some talented and hardworking members of our team." It added that the trim down was "only due to the extraordinarily difficult challenges ahead."</p>.<p>Citing an email sent to employees on Friday, the Los Angeles Times said the company was offering those affected a minimum of eight weeks' pay and other benefits, including career coaching and resume assistance.</p>.<p>The announcement came as SpaceX on Friday launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California carrying 10 communications satellites.</p>.<p>Founded by Musk, SpaceX makes most of its money from multibillion-dollar contracts with NASA and satellite launches.</p>.<p>SpaceX in November won authorization from US officials to put nearly 12,000 satellites into orbit in order to boost cheap, wireless internet access by the 2020s.</p>.<p>The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the company was raising $500 million from investors to help launch its satellite internet service.</p>
<p>SpaceX plans to lay off 10 percent of its more than 6,000 employees, a source familiar with the decision said on Friday.</p>.<p>"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," the California-based company, headed by Elon Musk, said in a statement to AFP.</p>.<p>"Either of these developments, even when attempted separately, have bankrupted other organizations," it added.</p>.<p>"This means we must part ways with some talented and hardworking members of our team." It added that the trim down was "only due to the extraordinarily difficult challenges ahead."</p>.<p>Citing an email sent to employees on Friday, the Los Angeles Times said the company was offering those affected a minimum of eight weeks' pay and other benefits, including career coaching and resume assistance.</p>.<p>The announcement came as SpaceX on Friday launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California carrying 10 communications satellites.</p>.<p>Founded by Musk, SpaceX makes most of its money from multibillion-dollar contracts with NASA and satellite launches.</p>.<p>SpaceX in November won authorization from US officials to put nearly 12,000 satellites into orbit in order to boost cheap, wireless internet access by the 2020s.</p>.<p>The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the company was raising $500 million from investors to help launch its satellite internet service.</p>