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Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
SpaceX
Company typePrivate
Industry
FoundedMarch 14, 2002(22 years ago)(2002-03-14)inEl Segundo, California,U.S.[1]
FounderElon Musk
HeadquartersSpaceX Starbase,
Brownsville, Texas
,
United States
Key people
Products
RevenueIncreaseUS$4.6 billion(2022)[4]
Negative increaseUS$−559 million(2022)[4]
Owner
  • Elon Musk (42% equity; 79% voting control)[5]
Number of employees
13,000+[6](September 2023)
Subsidiaries
Websitespacex
Elon Musk in 2018
This article is part of
a series about
Elon Musk
Companies
In popular culture
Related

Space Exploration Technologies Corp.,commonly referred to asSpaceX,is an Americanspace technologycompany. Since its founding in 2001, the company has made great advancement inrocket propulsion,reusable launch vehicle,human spaceflightandsatellite constellationtechnology. By the late 2010s, SpaceX became the world's dominantspace launchprovider, rivaling theChinese space program's launch cadance[8]and eclipsed all of its competitors.[9]SpaceX,NASAandUnited States Armed Forceshave a symbiotic relationship, bounded together bygovernmental contracts.[10]

SpaceX was founded byElon Muskin 2001 with a vision to decrease the cost of space launch, paving the way toa sustainable colony on Mars.In 2008, when SpaceX was almost out of funds,Falcon 1successfully launched to orbit after three failed launch attempts. The company then pivoted towards the development of the largerFalcon 9rocket and theDragon 1capsule to satisfyNASA'sCOTS contractsfor deliveries to theInternational Space Station.By 2012, SpaceX finished all COTS test flights and began deliveringCommercial Resupply Servicesmissions to the International Space Station. Also around that time, SpaceX started developing hardware to make theFalcon 9 first stage reusable.The company demonstrated thefirst successful first-stage landing in 2015andre-launch of the first stage in 2017.Falcon Heavy,built from three Falcon 9 boosters,first flew in 2018after a more than decade-long development process. As of October 2024, the company's Falcon 9 rockets have landed and flown againmore than 330 times,reaching 1-2 launches a week.

These milestones delivered the company much-needed investment and SpaceX sought todiversifyits sources of income. In 2019, the first operational satellite of theStarlinkinternetsatellite constellationcame online. In subsequent years, Starlink generated the bulk of SpaceX's income and paved the way for itsStarshieldmilitary counterpart. In 2020, SpaceX began to operate itsDragon 2capsules to deliver crewed missions for NASA and private entities. Around this time, SpaceX began building test prototypes forStarship,which is the largest launch vehicle in history and aims to fully realize the company's vision of a fully-reusable, cost-effective and adaptable launch vehicle. SpaceX is also developing its ownspace suitandastronautvia itsPolaris program[11]as well as developing thehuman lander for lunar missionsunder NASA'sArtemis program.[12]SpaceX is not publicly traded; a space industry newspaper estimated that SpaceX has a revenue of over US$10 billion in 2024.[13]

History

[edit]
Main article:History of SpaceX
See also:List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches

2001–2004: Founding

[edit]

In early 2001,Elon MuskmetRobert Zubrinand donated US$100,000 to hisMars Society,joining its board of directors for a short time.[14]: 30–31 He gave aplenary talkat their fourth convention where he announcedMars Oasis,a project to land agreenhouseand grow plants on Mars.[15][16]Musk initially attempted to acquire aDneprintercontinental ballistic missile for the project through Russian contacts fromJim Cantrell.[17]

Musk then returned with his team a second time to Moscow this time bringingMichael Griffinas well, but found the Russians increasingly unreceptive.[18][19]On the flight home Musk announced he could start a company to build the affordable rockets they needed instead.[19]By applyingvertical integration,[18]using inexpensivecommercial off-the-shelfcomponents when possible,[19]and adopting the modular approach of modern software engineering, Musk believed SpaceX could significantly cut launch costs.[19]

In early 2002, Elon Musk started to look for staff for his company, soon to be named SpaceX. Musk approached five people for the initial positions at the fledgling company, including Michael Griffin, who declined the position of Chief Engineer,[20]: 11 Jim Cantrelland John Garvey (Cantrell and Garvey would later found the companyVector Launch), rocket engineerTom Mueller,and Chris Thompson.[20][21]SpaceX was first headquartered in a warehouse inEl Segundo, California.Early SpaceX employees, such asTom Mueller(CTO),Gwynne Shotwell(COO), and Chris Thompson (VP of Operations), came from neighboringTRWandBoeingcorporations. By November 2005, the company had 160 employees.[22]Musk personally interviewed and approved all of SpaceX's early employees.[20]: 22 

Musk has stated that one of his goals with SpaceX is to decrease the cost and improve the reliability of access tospace,ultimately by a factor of ten.[23]

2005–2009: Falcon 1 and first orbital launches

[edit]
Main article:Falcon 1
The first successfulFalcon 1launch in September 2008

SpaceX developed its firstorbital launch vehicle,theFalcon 1,with internal funding.[24][25]The Falcon 1 was anexpendabletwo-stage-to-orbitsmall-lift launch vehicle.The total development cost of Falcon 1 was approximately $90million[26]to $100million.[20]: 215 

The Falcon rocket series was named afterStar Wars'sMillennium Falconfictional spacecraft.[27]

In 2004, SpaceX protested against NASA to theGovernment Accountability Office(GAO) because of a sole-source contract awarded toKistler Aerospace.Before the GAO could respond, NASA withdrew the contract, and formed theCOTS program.[20]: 109–110 [28]In 2005, SpaceX announced plans to pursue a human-rated commercial space program through the end of the decade, a program that would later become theDragon spacecraft.[29]In 2006, the company was selected by NASA and awarded $396million to provide crew and cargo resupply demonstration contracts to the International Space Station (ISS) under theCOTS program.[30]

The first two Falcon 1 launches were purchased by theUnited States Department of Defenseunder theDARPA Falcon Projectwhich evaluated new US launch vehicles suitable for use in hypersonic missile delivery forPrompt Global Strike.[25][31][32]The first three launches of the rocket, between 2006 and 2008, all resulted in failures, which almost ended the company. Financing for Tesla Motors had failed, as well,[33]and consequentlyTesla,SolarCity,and Musk personally were all nearly bankrupt at the same time.[20]: 178–182 Musk was reportedly "waking from nightmares, screaming and in physical pain" because of the stress.[20]: 216 

The financial situation started to turn around with the first successful launch achieved onthe fourth attempton 28 September 2008. Musk split his remaining $30million between SpaceX and Tesla, and NASA awarded the firstCommercial Resupply Services(CRS) contract awarding $1.6billion to SpaceX in December, thus financially saving the company.[20]: 217–221 Based on these factors and the further business operations they enabled, the Falcon 1 was soon retired following itssecond successful, and fifth total, launchin July 2009. This allowed SpaceX to focus company resources on the development of a larger orbital rocket, the Falcon 9.[34]Gwynne Shotwellwas also promoted to company president at the time, for her role in successfully negotiating the CRS contract with theNASAAssociate AdministratorBill Gerstenmaier.[35][20]: 222 

2010–2012: Falcon 9, Dragon, and NASA contracts

[edit]
Video of the first launch of Falcon 9

SpaceX originally intended to follow its light Falcon 1 launch vehicle with an intermediate capacity vehicle, theFalcon 5.[36]The company instead decided in 2005 to proceed with the development of theFalcon 9,areusableheavier lift vehicle.Development of the Falcon 9 was accelerated byNASA,which committed to purchasing several commercial flights if specific capabilities were demonstrated. This started with seed money from theCommercial Orbital Transportation Services(COTS) program in 2006.[37]The overall contract award was $278million to provide development funding for theDragon spacecraft,Falcon 9, and demonstration launches of Falcon 9 with Dragon.[37]As part of this contract, the Falcon 9 launched for the first time in June 2010 with theDragon Spacecraft Qualification Unit,using a mockup of the Dragon spacecraft.

The first operational Dragon spacecraft was launched in December 2010 aboardCOTS Demo Flight 1,the Falcon 9's second flight, and safely returned to Earth after two orbits, completing all its mission objectives.[38]By December 2010, the SpaceX production line was manufacturing one Falcon 9 and Dragon every three months.[39]

In April 2011, as part of its second-roundCommercial Crew Development(CCDev) program, NASA issued a $75million contract for SpaceX to develop an integratedlaunch escape systemfor Dragon in preparation for human-rating it as a crew transport vehicle to the ISS.[40]NASA awarded SpaceX a fixed-priceSpace Act Agreement(SAA) to produce a detailed design of the crew transportation system in August 2012.[41]

In early 2012, approximately two-thirds of SpaceX stock was owned by Musk[42]and his seventy million shares were then estimated to be worth $875million onprivate markets,[43]valuing SpaceX at $1.3billion.[44]In May 2012, with theDragon C2+launch, Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to theInternational Space Station.[45]After the flight, the company private equity valuation nearly doubled to $2.4billion or $20/share.[46][47]By that time, SpaceX had operated on total funding of approximately $1billion over its first decade of operation. Of this, private equity provided approximately $200million, with Musk investing approximately $100million and other investors having put in about $100million.[48]

SpaceX's active reusability test program began in late 2012 with testing low-altitude, low-speed aspects of the landing technology.[49]TheFalcon 9 prototypesperformed vertical takeoffs and landings (VTOL). High-velocity, high-altitude tests of theboosteratmospheric return technology began in late 2013.[49]

2013–2015: Commercial launches and rapid growth

[edit]
Launch of Falcon 9 carryingORBCOMM OG2-M1, July 2014

SpaceX launched the first commercial mission for a private customer in 2013. In 2014, SpaceX won nine contracts out of the 20 that were openly competed worldwide.[50]That yearArianespacerequested that European governments provide additionalsubsidiesto face the competition from SpaceX.[51][52]Beginning in 2014, SpaceX capabilities and pricing also began to affect the market for launch of U.S. military payloads, which for nearly a decade had been dominated by the large U.S. launch providerUnited Launch Alliance(ULA).[53]The monopoly had allowed launch costs by the U.S. provider to rise to over $400million over the years.[54]In September 2014, NASA's Director of Commercial Spaceflight, Kevin Crigler, awarded SpaceX the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract to finalize the development of the Crew Transportation System. The contract included several technical and certification milestones, an uncrewed flight test, a crewed flight test, and six operational missions after certification.[41]

In January 2015, SpaceX raised $1billion in funding fromGoogleandFidelity Investments,in exchange for 8.33% of the company, establishing the company valuation at approximately $12billion.[55]The same month SpaceX announced the development of a new satellite constellation, calledStarlink,to provide global broadband internet service with 4,000 satellites.[56]

The Falcon 9 had its first major failure in late June 2015, when the seventh ISS resupply mission,CRS-7exploded two minutes into the flight. The problem was traced to a failed 2-foot-long steel strut that held aheliumpressure vessel,which broke free due to the force ofacceleration.This caused a breach and allowed high-pressure helium to escape into the low-pressurepropellant tank,causing the failure.[57]

2015–2017: Reusability milestones

[edit]
Falcon 9 first stage on anautonomous spaceport drone ship(ASDS)bargeafter the first successful landing at sea,SpaceX CRS-8mission

SpaceX first achieved a successful landing and recovery of a first stage in December 2015 withFalcon 9 Flight 20.[58]In April 2016, the company achieved the first successful landing on the autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS)Of Course I Still Love Youin the Atlantic Ocean.[59]By October 2016, following the successful landings, SpaceX indicated they were offering their customers a 10% price discount if they choose to fly their payload on a reused Falcon 9 first stage.[60]

A second major rocket failure happened in early September 2016, when a Falcon 9 exploded during a propellant fill operation for a standard pre-launchstatic fire test.The payload, theAMOS-6communications satellite valued at $200million, was destroyed.[61]The explosion was caused by theliquid oxygenthat is used as propellant turning so cold that it solidified and ignited withcarbon compositehelium vessels.[62]Though not considered an unsuccessful flight, the rocket explosion sent the company into a four-month launch hiatus while it worked out what went wrong. SpaceX returned to flight in January 2017.[63]

In March 2017, SpaceX launched a returned Falcon 9 for theSES-10satellite. This was the first time a re-launch of a payload-carrying orbital rocket went back to space.[64]The first stage was recovered again, also making it the first landing of a reused orbital class rocket.[65]

2017–2018: Leading global commercial launch provider

[edit]

In July 2017, the company raised $350million, which raised its valuation to $21billion.[66]In 2017, SpaceX achieved a 45% global market share for awarded commercial launch contracts.[67]By March 2018, SpaceX had more than 100 launches on its manifest representing about $12billion in contract revenue.[68]The contracts included both commercial andgovernment(NASA/DOD) customers.[69]This made SpaceX the leading global commercial launch provider measured by manifested launches.[70]

In 2017, SpaceX formed a subsidiary,The Boring Company,[71]and began work to construct a short test tunnel on and adjacent to the SpaceX headquarters and manufacturing facility, using a small number of SpaceX employees,[72]which was completed in May 2018,[73]and opened to the public in December 2018.[74]During 2018, The Boring Company wasspun outinto a separatecorporate entitywith 6% of the equity going to SpaceX, less than 10% to early employees, and the remainder of the equity to Elon Musk.[74]

[edit]

In 2019 SpaceX raised $1.33billion of capital across three funding rounds.[75]By May 2019, the valuation of SpaceX had risen to $33.3billion[76]and reached $36billion by March 2020.[77]

On 19 August 2020, after a $1.9billion funding round, one of the largest single fundraising pushes by any privately held company, SpaceX's valuation increased to $46billion.[78][79][80]

In February 2021, SpaceX raised an additional $1.61billion in an equity round from 99 investors[81]at a per share value of approximately $420,[80]raising the company valuation to approximately $74billion. By 2021, SpaceX had raised more than $6billion in equity financing. Most of the capital raised since 2019 has been used to support the operational fielding of the Starlink satellite constellation and the development and manufacture of the Starship launch vehicle.[81]By October 2021, the valuation of SpaceX had risen to $100.3billion.[82]On 16 April 2021, Starship HLS won a contract to play a critical role in the NASA crewed spaceflightArtemis program.[83]By 2021, SpaceX had entered into agreements withGoogle Cloud PlatformandMicrosoft Azureto provide on-ground computer and networking services forStarlink.[84]A new round of financing in 2022 valued SpaceX at $127billion.[85]

In July 2021, SpaceX unveiled another drone ship namedA Shortfall of Gravitas,landing a booster fromCRS-23on it for the first time on 29 August 2021.[86]Within the first 130 days of 2022, SpaceX had 18 rocket launches and two astronaut splashdowns. On 13 December 2021, company CEOElon Muskannounced that the company was starting acarbon dioxide removalprogram that wouldconvert captured carbonintorocket fuel,[87][88]after he announced a $100million donation to theX Prize Foundationthe previous February to provide the monetary rewards to winners in a contest to develop the bestcarbon capture technology.[89][90]

In August 2022,Reutersreported that theEuropean Space Agency(ESA) began initial discussions with SpaceX that could lead to the company's launchers being used temporarily, given that Russia blocked access toSoyuzrockets amid theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[91]Since that invasion and in the greater war between Russia and Ukraine, Starlinkwas extensively used.[92]

In 2022, SpaceX's Falcon 9 also became the world record holder for the most launches of a single vehicle type in a single year.[93][94][non-primary source needed]SpaceX launched a rocket approximately every six days in 2022, with 61 launches in total. All but one (a Falcon Heavy in November) was on a Falcon 9 rocket.[93]

In November 2023, SpaceX announced it would acquire its parachute supplierPioneer Aerospaceout of bankruptcy for $2.2 million.[95][96]

2024 headquarters move from California to Texas

[edit]
Main article:SAFETY Act (California law) § Elon Musk

On 16 July 2024, Elon Musk posted onXthat SpaceX would move its headquarters fromHawthorne, California,toSpaceX StarbaseinBrownsville, Texas.Musk said this was because the recently passed CaliforniaAB1955 bill"and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies".[97]This new law in California bans school districts from requiring that teachers notify parents about changes to a student’s sexual orientation and gender identity.[98]The headquarters officially moved toBrownsville, Texasin August 2024, according to records filed with the California Secretary of State.[99]

The move to relocate SpaceX's headquarters was seen as largely symbolic, at least in the short term. The Hawthorne facility continues to support the company's Falcon launch vehicles, which was SpaceX's workhorse product in 2024.

SpaceX'sPolaris Dawnmission featured the first-ever private spacewalk, marking a major milestone in commercial space exploration.[100]

Starship

[edit]
refer to caption
Starship in launch position

In January 2019, SpaceX announced it would lay off 10% of its workforce to help finance theStarshipandStarlinkprojects.[101]The purpose of the Starship vehicle is to enable large-scale transit of humans and cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.[102]SpaceX's Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever flown, with a payload capacity of 100+ tons.[103][104]Construction of initial prototypes and tests for Starship started in early 2019 in Florida and Texas. All Starship construction and testing moved to the newSpaceX South Texas launch sitelater that year.

On 20 April 2023, Starship'sfirst orbital flight testended in a mid-air explosion over theGulf of Mexicobefore booster separation. After launch, multiple engines in the booster progressively failed, causing the vehicle to reachmaxqlater than planned. "Max q" is the theoretical point of maximal mechanical stress which occurs during the launch sequence of a space vehicle. In the case of a rocket that must be self-destructed during its ascent, max q occurs at the point of self-destruction. Eventually, the vehicle lost control and spun erratically until the automatedflight termination systemwas activated, which intentionally destroyed the rocket. Elon Musk, SpaceX, and other individuals familiar with the space industry have referred to the test flight as a success.[105][106]

Musk said at the time that it would take "six to eight weeks" to get the infrastructure prepared for another launch. In October 2023, a senior SpaceX executive stated the company had been ready to launch the next test flight since September. He accused government regulators of disrupting the project's progress, adding the delay could lead to China beating US astronauts back to the Moon.[107][108]

On 18 November 2023, SpaceX launched itssecond integrated Starship test,with both vehicles flying for a few minutes before separately exploding.[109][110][111][112]

In early March 2024 SpaceX announced that it was targeting 14 March as the tentative launch date for its next uncrewed Starship launch configuration flight test, pending the issuance of a "launch license" by theFAA.This license was granted on 13 March 2024.[113]On 14 March 2024 at 13:25 UTC, Starship launched for the 3rd time and for the first time Starship reached its planned suborbital trajectory. The flight ended with the booster experiencing a malfunction shortly before landing and the ship being lost during reentry over the Indian Ocean.[103][104]

On 4 June 2024, SpaceX received the launch license for Starship's 4th test flight. The licensure itself was notable in that it was the first time that the FAA included a clause that would allow SpaceX to launch subsequent test flights without a mishap investigation, provided that they met a similar launch profile and used the same specification of hardware. The provision could prove to speed the development timeline.[114]

Crewed launches

[edit]
NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley (left) and Robert Behnken (right) wearing custom-fit spacesuits designed by SpaceX.

A significant milestone was achieved in May 2020, when SpaceX successfully launched two NASA astronauts (Doug HurleyandBob Behnken) into orbit on aCrew Dragonspacecraft duringCrew Dragon Demo-2,making SpaceX the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station and marking the first crewed orbital launch from American soil in 9 years.[115][116]The mission launched fromKennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A(LC-39A) in Florida.[117]

[edit]

In May 2019, SpaceX launched the first large batch of 60 Starlink satellites, beginning to deploy what would become the world's largest commercial satellite constellation the following year.[118]In 2022, most SpaceX launches focused on Starlink, a consumer internet business that sends batches of internet-beaming satellites and now has over 6,000 satellites in orbit.[119]

On 16 July 2021, SpaceX entered an agreement to acquireSwarm Technologies,a private company building alow Earth orbitsatellite constellation for communications withInternet of things(IoT) devices, for $524million.[120][4]

In December 2022, the U.S.Federal Communications Commission(FCC) approved the launch up to 7,500 of SpaceX's next-generation satellites in its Starlink internet network.[121]

Summary of achievements

[edit]
Date Achievement Flight
28 September 2008 First privately funded, fully liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit.[122] Falcon 1 Flight 4
14 July 2009 First privately funded, fully liquid-fueled rocket to put a commercial satellite in orbit. Falcon 1 Flight 5
9 December 2010 First private company to successfully launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft. SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1
25 May 2012 First private company to send a spacecraft to theInternational Space Station(ISS).[123] SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2
22 December 2015 First landing of an orbital-class rocket's first stage on land. Falcon 9 Flight 20
8 April 2016 First landing of an orbital-class rocket's first stage on an ocean platform. SpaceX CRS-8
30 March 2017 First reuse and (second) landing of an orbital first stage.[64] SES-10
First controlled flyback and recovery of a payload fairing.[124]
3 June 2017 First reuse of a commercial cargo spacecraft.[125] SpaceX CRS-11
6 February 2018 Firstprivate spacecraftlaunched intoheliocentric orbit. Falcon Heavy test flight
2 March 2019 First private company to send a human-rated spacecraft to orbit. Crew Dragon Demo-1
3 March 2019 First private company to autonomously dock a human-rated spacecraft to the ISS.
25 July 2019 First flight of afull-flow staged combustion cycleengine (Raptor).[126] Starhopper
11 November 2019 First reuse of a payload fairing.[127] Starlink 2 v1.0
30 May 2020 First private company to send humans into orbit.[128] Crew Dragon Demo-2
First private company to send humans to the ISS.[129]
24 January 2021 Most spacecraft launched on a single mission, 143 satellites.[a][130] Transporter-1
23 April 2021 First reuse of a crewedspace capsule.[131] SpaceX Crew-2/Endeavour
First reused booster to send humans into orbit.
17 June 2021 First reused booster to launch a 'national security' mission.[132] GPS III-05
16 September 2021 First orbital launch of an all-private crew.[133][134] Inspiration4
24 November 2021 Longest streak of orbital launches without a mission failure or partial failure for a single rocket type (Falcon 9, 101 launches).[135] Double Asteroid Redirection Test
9 April 2022 First all-private crew to dock with theInternational Space Station.[136] Axiom Mission 1
20 October 2022 Highest number of launches of a single rocket type in a calendar year (Falcon 9, 48 launches).[137] Starlink 4-36
20 April 2023 Tallest, most powerful rocket to ever launch.[138][139] SpaceX Starship orbital test flight
14 March 2024 Starship reaches intended orbital velocity for the first time.[140] SpaceX Starship integrated flight test 3
12 April 2024 A single Falcon 9 booster reused for the 20th time.[141] Booster 1062
12 September 2024 First commercial spacewalk Polaris Dawn
13 October 2024 First Super Heavy booster catch Starship flight test 5
  1. ^Excluding the passive objects launched as part ofProject West Ford

Hardware

[edit]

Launch vehicles

[edit]
Main article:SpaceX launch vehicles
The landing of aFalcon 9 Block 5first stage at Cape Canaveral in July 2019.VTVLtechnologies are used in many of SpaceX's launch vehicles.

SpaceX has developed three launch vehicles. The small-liftFalcon 1was the first launch vehicle developed and was retired in 2009. The medium-liftFalcon 9and the heavy-liftFalcon Heavyare both operational.

Falcon 1was a small rocket capable of placing several hundred kilograms intolow Earth orbit.It launched five times between 2006 and 2009, of which two were successful.[142]The Falcon 1 was the first privately funded, liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit.[122]

Falcon 9is amedium-lift launch vehiclecapable of delivering up to 22,800 kilograms (50,265lb) to orbit, competing with theDelta IVand theAtlas Vrockets, as well as other launch providers around the world. It has nineMerlinengines in its first stage. TheFalcon 9 v1.0rocket successfully reached orbit on its first attempt on 4 June 2010. Its third flight,COTS Demo Flight 2,launched on 22 May 2012 and launched the firstcommercialspacecraft to reach and dock with the International Space Station (ISS).[45]The vehicle was upgraded toFalcon 9 v1.1in 2013,Falcon 9 Full Thrustin 2015, and finally toFalcon 9 Block 5in 2018. The first stage of Falcon 9 is designed to retro propulsively land, be recovered, and flown again.[143]

Falcon Heavyis aheavy-lift launch vehiclecapable of delivering up to 63,800kg (140,700lb) toLow Earth orbit(LEO) or 26,700kg (58,900lb) togeosynchronous transfer orbit(GTO). It uses three slightly modified Falcon 9 first-stage cores with a total of 27Merlin 1Dengines.[144][145]The Falcon Heavy successfully flew its inaugural mission on 6 February 2018, launching Musk's personalTesla Roadsterintoheliocentric orbit[146]

Both the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are certified to conduct launches for theNational Security Space Launch(NSSL).[147][148]As of 24 October 2024, the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy have been launched 398 times, resulting in 395 full mission successes, one partial success, andone in-flight failure.In addition, a Falcon 9 experienceda pre-flight failurebefore a static fire test in 2016.[149][150]

SpaceX is developing a fully reusable super-heavy lift launch system known asStarship.It comprises a reusable first stage, calledSuper Heavy,and the reusableStarship second stagespace vehicle. As of 2017,the system was intended to supersede the company's existing launch vehicle hardware by the early 2020s.[151][152]

Rocket engines

[edit]
Main article:SpaceX rocket engines
Merlin 1D engineundergoes a test at SpaceX's Rocket Development and Test Facility inMcGregor, Texas

Since the founding of SpaceX in 2002, the company has developed severalrocket engines–Merlin,Kestrel,andRaptor– for use inlaunch vehicles,[153][154]Dracofor thereaction control systemof the Dragon series of spacecraft,[155]andSuperDracofor abort capability inCrew Dragon.[156]

Merlin is a family of rocket engines that usesliquid oxygen(LOX) andRP-1propellants. Merlin was first used to power the Falcon 1's first stage and is now used on both stages of the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy vehicles.[157]Kestrel uses the same propellants and was used as the Falcon 1 rocket's second-stage main engine.[154][158]

Draco andSuperDracoarehypergolicliquid-propellant rocket engines. Draco engines are used on thereaction control systemof theDragonandDragon 2spacecraft.[155]TheSuperDracoengine is more powerful, and eight SuperDraco engines providelaunch escape capabilityfor crewed Dragon 2 spacecraft during an abort scenario.[159]

Raptor is a new family of liquid oxygen and liquidmethane-fueledfull-flow staged combustion cycleengines to power the first and second stages of the in-developmentStarshiplaunch system.[153]Development versions were test-fired in late 2016,[160]and the engine flew for the first time in 2019, powering theStarhoppervehicle to an altitude of 20 m (66 ft).[161]

Dragon spacecraft

[edit]
Main articles:Dragon 1andDragon 2
SpaceX Dragon 2spacecraft, designed to deliver crew and cargo to and from the International Space Station (cargo version shown)

SpaceX has developed the Dragon spacecraft to transport cargo and crew to the International Space Station (ISS).

The first-generationDragon 1spacecraft was used only for cargo operations. It was developed with financial support from NASA under theCommercial Orbital Transportation Services(COTS) program. After a successful COTS demonstration flight in 2010, SpaceX was chosen to receive aCommercial Resupply Services(CRS) contract.[38]

The currently operational second-generationDragon 2spacecraft conductedits first flight,without crew, to the ISS in early 2019, followed bya crewed flightof Dragon 2 in 2020.[115]It was developed with financial support from NASA under theCommercial Crew Programprogram. Thecargo variant of Dragon 2flew for the first time in December 2020, for a resupply to the ISS as part of the CRS contract with NASA.[162]

In March 2020 SpaceX revealed the Dragon XL, designed as a resupply spacecraft for NASA's plannedLunar Gatewayspace station under aGateway Logistics Services(GLS) contract.[163]Dragon XL is planned to launch on theFalcon Heavy,and is able to transport over 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) to the Gateway. Dragon XL will be docked at the Gateway for six to twelve months at a time.[164]

SpaceX designed a spacesuitto be worn inside the Dragon spacecraft to protect from possible depressurization.[165]On 4 May 2024, SpaceX unveiled a second spacesuit designed forextravehicular activity,planned to be used for aspacewalkduring thePolaris Dawnmission.[166]

Autonomous spaceport drone ships

[edit]
Main articles:SpaceX reusable launch system development program,Falcon 9 first-stage landing tests,andAutonomous spaceport drone ship
Autonomous spaceport drone shipin position prior toCRS-6mission

SpaceX routinely returns thefirst stageof Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets after orbital launches. The rocket lands at a predetermined landing site using only its propulsion systems.[167]When propellant margins do not permit a return to a launch site (RTLS), rockets return to a floating landing platform in the ocean, calledautonomous spaceport drone ships(ASDS).[168]

SpaceX also plans to introducefloating launch platforms.These are modified oil rigs to use in the 2020s to provide a sea launch option for their second-generation launch vehicle: the heavy-lift Starship system, consisting of the Super Heavy booster and Starship second stage.

[edit]
Main article:Starlink
Sixty Starlink satellites stacked together before deployment

Starlink is an internet satellite constellation under development by Starlink Services, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SpaceX,[7][169]that consists of thousands of cross-linkedcommunications satellitesin ~550km orbits. Its goal is to address the significant unmet demand worldwide for low-cost broadband capabilities.[170]Development began in 2015, and initial prototype test-flight satellites were launched on the SpaceXPaz satellitemission in 2017. In May 2019, SpaceX launched the first batch of 60 satellites aboard a Falcon 9.[171]Initial test operation of the constellation began in late 2020[172]and first orders were taken in early 2021.[173]Customers were told to expect internet service speeds of 50 Mbit/s to 150 Mbit/s and latency from 20 ms to 40 ms.[174]In December 2022, Starlink reached over 1 million subscribers worldwide.[175]

The planned large number ofStarlinksatellites has been criticized by astronomers due to concerns overlight pollution,[176][177][178]with the brightness of Starlink satellites in both optical and radio wavelengths interfering with scientific observations.[179]In response, SpaceX has implemented several upgrades to Starlink satellites aimed at reducing their brightness.[180]The large number of satellites employed by Starlink also creates long-term dangers ofspace debris collisions.[181][182]However, the satellites are equipped withkrypton-fueledHall thrusterswhich allow them tode-orbitat the end of their life. They are also designed to autonomously avoid collisions based on uplinked tracking data.[183]

In December 2022, SpaceX announcedStarshield,a program to incorporate military or government entity payloads on board a Starlink-derived satellite bus. TheSpace Development Agencyis a key customer procuring satellites for a space-basedmissile defensesystem.[184][185]

In June 2024, SpaceX introduced a compact version of its Starlink antennas, the "Starlink Mini," designed for mobile satellite internet use. Offered for $599 in an early access release, it was more expensive than the base model. The Mini antenna, half the size and one-third the weight of the Standard version, featured a built-inWiFi router,lower power consumption, and over 100 Mbps download speeds.[186]

Other projects

[edit]
Main article:Hyperloop pod competition

Hyperloop

[edit]

In June 2015, SpaceX announced that it would sponsor aHyperloop competition,and would build a 1.6 km (0.99 mi) longsubscaletest track near SpaceX's headquarters for the competitive events.[187][188]The company held the annual competition from 2017 to 2019.[189]

COVID-19 antibody-testing program

[edit]

In collaboration with doctors and academic researchers, SpaceX invited all employees to participate in the creation of aCOVID-19antibody-testing program in 2020. As such, 4300 employees volunteered to provide blood samples resulting in apeer-reviewedscientific paper crediting eight SpaceX employees as coauthors and suggesting that a certain level of COVID-19 antibodies may provide lasting protection against the virus.[190][191]

Other

[edit]

In July 2018, Musk arranged for his employees to build amini-submarineto assist therescue of children stuck in a flooded cavern in Thailand.[192]Richard Stanton,leader of the international rescue diving team, encouraged Musk to facilitate the construction of the vehicle as a backup in case flooding worsened. However, Stanton later concluded that the mini-submarine would not work and said that Musk's involvement "distracted from the rescue effort".[193][194]Engineers at SpaceX andThe Boring Companybuilt the mini-submarine from a Falcon 9liquid oxygentransfer tube in eight hours and personally delivered it to Thailand.[195][196]Thai authorities ultimately declined to use the submarine, stating that it wasn't practical for the rescue mission.[192]

Facilities

[edit]

SpaceX is headquartered at theSpaceX StarbasenearBrownsville, Texas,where it manufactures and launches its Starship vehicle. However most of the company's operations are based out of its office inHawthorne, Californiawhere it was previously headquartered, where it builds Falcon rockets and Dragon spacecraft, and where it houses its mission control.

The company also operates a Starlink satellite manufacturing facilities in Redmond, Washington, arocket development and test facilityinMcGregor, Texas,[197]and maintains an office in the Washington, D.C. area, close to key government customers.[198]

SpaceX has two active launch sites in Florida, one active launch site in California and one active launch site at Starbase in Texas.

Hawthorne, CA: Falcon and Dragon manufacturing, mission control

[edit]
SpaceX office in Hawthorne, California at night during a Falcon 9 launch fromVandenberg Space Force Base

SpaceX operates a large facility in the Los Angeles suburb ofHawthorne, California.The three-story building, originally built byNorthrop Corporationto buildBoeing 747fuselages,[199]houses SpaceX's office space, mission control, and Falcon 9 manufacturing facilities.[200]

The area has one of the largest concentrations of space sector headquarters, facilities, and/or subsidiaries in the U.S., includingBoeing/McDonnell Douglasmain satellite building campuses,The Aerospace Corporation,Raytheon,NASA'sJet Propulsion Laboratory,United States Space Force'sSpace Systems CommandatLos Angeles Air Force Base,Lockheed Martin,BAE Systems,Northrop Grumman,andAECOM,etc., with a large pool of aerospace engineers and recent college engineering graduates.[199]

SpaceX uses a high degree ofvertical integrationin the production of its rockets and rocket engines.[18]SpaceX builds itsrocket engines,rocket stages,spacecraft,principalavionicsand allsoftwarein-house in their Hawthorne facility, which is unusual for the space industry.[18]

The Hawthorne facility was SpaceX's headquarters until August 2024. However, the move to relocate SpaceX's headquarters was seen as largely symbolic, at least in the short term, as the facility will remain to the company’s operations.[201]

Boca Chica, TX: Starship manufacturing, launch

[edit]
Main article:SpaceX Starbase
The Starship assembly building atSpaceX Starbasein Texas

SpaceX manufactures and flies Starship test vehicles from theSpaceX StarbaseinBoca ChicanearBrownsville, Texas,having announced first plans for the launch facility in August 2014.[202][203]TheFederal Aviation Administration(FAA) issued the permit in July 2014.[204]SpaceX broke ground on the new launch facility in 2014 with construction ramping up in the latter half of 2015,[205]with the firstsuborbitallaunches from the facility in 2019[200]and orbital launches starting in 2023.

SpaceX has faced increased scrutiny over the environmental impact of its Starbase facility.[206][207][208]In August 2024, theTexas Commission on Environmental Qualitycited SpaceX for violating environmental regulations by repeatedly releasing pollutants into water near the Boca Chica launch site.[209]TheEPAfined SpaceX approximately $150,000 for allegedly discharging "industrial wastewater" and violating theClean Water Act.[210]

McGregor, TX: Rocket Development and Test Facility

[edit]
Main article:SpaceX Rocket Development and Test Facility
Aerial view of the SpaceX McGregor engine testing facility, 2008

SpaceX's Rocket Development and Test Facility inMcGregor, Texasis arocket engine test facility.Every rocket engine and thruster manufactured by SpaceX must pass through McGregor for final testing being used on flight missions.[211][212]The facility also serves as a testing ground for various components and engines during theresearch and developmentprocess.[213]In addition to engine testing, after splashdown and recovery,Dragon spacecraftmake a stop at McGregor to have their hazardoushypergolic propellantfuels removed, before the capsules continue on to Hawthorne for refurbishment.[211]

SpaceX calls the facility the most advanced and active rocket engine test facility in the world, and said that as of 2024,over 7,000 tests had been conducted at the facility since it opened, with seven engine test fires on a typical day, across more than a dozen test stands.[214]Despite its low-profile compared to the company's other facilities, is a critical part of SpaceX's operations, and company president and COOGwynne Shotwellmaintains her primary office in McGregor.[215][211]

Originally the site of theBluebonnet Ordnance Plantduring World War II,[213]the facility was later used byBeal Aerospacebefore being leased by SpaceX in 2003.[216]The company has since expanded it significantly from 256 acres (104 ha) in 2003[213]to 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) by 2015.[214]In July 2021, SpaceX announced plans to build a second production facility for Raptor engines at McGregor. This expansion is expected to significantly increase SpaceX's production capacity, with the goal of producing 800 to 1,000 Raptor engines per year.[217][218]

[edit]
Starlink user terminal on the sidewalk of a residential home.

SpaceX'sStarlinksubsidiary operates over two main facilities. Satellite manufacturing takes place nearSeattle,Washington while user terminal manufacturing takes place nearAustin, Texas.

Starlink's satellite development and manufacturing operations campus occupies over 314,000 square feet (29,200 m2) in at least six buildings located inRedmond, Washington,east of Seattle. The first building opened in early 2015,[219]and the company later expanded into five buildings on the Redmond Ridge Corporate Center.[220][221]

Starlink opened a user terminal manufacturing facility inBastrop, Texas,east of Austin in December 2023. In its first nine months of operation, the one-million-square-foot (93,000 m2) facility produced one million user terminals and was on track to become the largest factory forprinted circuit boardsin the United States.[222]

Launch facilities

[edit]
Main article:SpaceX launch facilities
Falcon Heavy Side Boosters landing onLZ1and LZ2 at Cape Canaveral

SpaceX operates fourorbitallaunch sites, atCape Canaveral Space Force StationandKennedy Space Centerin Florida andVandenberg Space Force Basein California for Falcon rockets, andStarbasenearBrownsville, Texasfor Starship. SpaceX has indicated that they see a niche for each of the four orbital facilities and that they have sufficient launch business to fill each pad.[223]The Vandenberg launch site enables highly inclined orbits (66–145°), while Cape Canaveral and Kennedy enable orbits of medium inclination (28.5–55°).[224]Larger inclinations, includingSSO,are possible from Florida by overflying Cuba.[225]

Before it was retired, allFalcon 1launches took place at theRonald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test SiteonOmelek Islandof theMarshall Islands.[226]

In April 2007,the Pentagonapproved the use ofCape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40(SLC-40) by SpaceX.[227]The site has been used since 2010 for Falcon 9 launches, mainly to low Earth and geostationary orbits. The formerLaunch Complex 13at Cape Canaveral, now renamedLanding Zones 1 and 2,has since 2015 been used for Falcon 9first-stage booster landings.[228]

SpaceX west coast launch facility atVandenberg Space Force Base,during the launch ofCASSIOPE

Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4(SLC-4E) was leased from the military in 2011 and is used for payloads to polar orbits. The Vandenberg site can launch both Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy vehicles,[229]but cannot launch to low inclination orbits. The neighboring SLC-4W was converted toLanding Zone 4in 2015 for booster landings.[230]

On 14 April 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease forKennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.[231]The pad was subsequently modified to supportFalcon 9andFalcon Heavylaunches. As of 2024it is the only pad that supports Falcon Heavy launches. SpaceX launched itsfirst crewed missionto the ISS from Launch Pad 39A on 30 May 2020.[232]Pad 39A has been prepared since 2019 to eventually accommodate Starship launches. With delays in launch FAA permits for Boca Chica, Texas, the 39A Starship preparation was accelerated in 2022.[233]

Contracts

[edit]
Further information on SpaceX launches:Falcon 1 § Launches,List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches,andList of Starship launches

SpaceX won demonstration and actual supply contracts fromNASAfor the International Space Station (ISS) with technology the company developed. SpaceX is also certified forU.S. militarylaunches ofEvolved Expendable Launch Vehicle-class (EELV) payloads. With approximately thirty missions on the manifest for 2018 alone, SpaceX represented over $12billion under contract.[69]

Cargo to ISS

[edit]
Main articles:Commercial Orbital Transportation Services,Commercial Resupply Services,andGateway Logistics Services
The COTS 2 Dragon is berthed to theInternational Space Station(ISS) byCanadarm2

In 2006, SpaceX won a NASACommercial Orbital Transportation Services(COTS) Phase 1 contract to demonstrate cargo delivery to the ISS, with a possible contract option for crew transport.[234]Through this contract, designed by NASA to provide "seed money" through Space Act Agreements for developing new capabilities, NASA paid SpaceX $396million to develop the cargo configuration of the Dragon spacecraft, while SpaceX developed the Falcon 9 launch vehicle with their resources.[235]TheseSpace Act Agreementshave been shown to have saved NASA millions of dollars in development costs, making rocket development 4–10 times less expensive than if produced by NASA alone.[236]

In December 2010, with the launch of theSpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1mission, SpaceX became the first private company to successfully launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft.[237]Dragon successfully berthed with the ISS duringSpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2in May 2012, a first for aprivate spacecraft.[238]

Commercial Resupply Services(CRS) is a series of contracts awarded by NASA from 2008 to 2016 for the delivery of cargo and supplies to the ISS on commercially operated spacecraft. The first CRS contracts were signed in 2008 and awarded $1.6billion to SpaceX for 12 cargo transport missions, covering deliveries to 2016.[239]SpaceX CRS-1,the first of the 12 planned resupply missions, launched in October 2012, achieved orbit, berthed, and remained on station for 20 days, beforere-entering the atmosphereand splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.[240]

CRS missions have flown approximately twice a year to the ISS since then. In 2015, NASA extended the Phase 1 contracts by ordering an additional three resupply flights from SpaceX, and then extended the contract further for a total of twenty cargo missions to the ISS.[241][239][242]The final Dragon 1 mission,SpaceX CRS-20,departed the ISS in April 2020, andDragonwas subsequently retired from service. Asecond phaseof contracts was awarded in January 2016 with SpaceX as one of the awardees. SpaceX will fly up to nine additional CRS flights with the upgradedDragon 2spacecraft.[243][244]In March 2020, NASA contracted SpaceX to develop theDragon XLspacecraft to send supplies to theLunar Gatewayspace station. Dragon XL will be launched on a Falcon Heavy.[245]

Crewed

[edit]
See also:Commercial Crew Program
NASA astronauts inside the Dragon spacecraft during theCrew-1 missionrendezvous with the International Space Station

SpaceX is responsible for the transportation of NASA astronauts to and from the ISS. The NASA contracts started as part of the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program, aimed at developing commercially operated spacecraft capable of delivering astronauts to the ISS. The first contract was awarded to SpaceX in 2011,[246][247]followed by another in 2012 to continue development and testing of itsDragon 2spacecraft.[248]

In September 2014, NASA chose SpaceX and Boeing as the two companies that would be funded to develop systems to transport U.S. crews to and from the ISS.[249]SpaceX won $2.6billion to complete and certify Dragon 2 by 2017. The contracts called for at least one crewed flight test with at least one NASA astronaut aboard. Once Crew Dragon received NASA human-spaceflight certification, the contract required SpaceX to conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station.[249]

SpaceX completed the first key flight test of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, aPad Abort Test,in May 2015,[250]and successfully conducted a full uncrewed test flight in early 2019. The capsule docked to the ISS and then splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.[251]In January 2020, SpaceX conducted anin-flight abort test,the last test flight before flying crew, in which the Dragon spacecraft fired its launch escape engines in a simulated abort scenario.[252]

On 30 May 2020, theCrew Dragon Demo-2mission was launched to theInternational Space Stationwith NASA astronautsBob BehnkenandDoug Hurley,the first time a crewed vehicle had launched from the U.S. since 2011, and the first SpaceX commercial crewed launch to the ISS.[253]TheCrew-1mission was successfully launched to the International Space Station on 16 November 2020, withNASAastronautsMichael Hopkins,Victor GloverandShannon Walkeralong withJAXAastronautSoichi Noguchi,[254]all members of theExpedition 64crew.[255]On 23 April 2021,Crew-2was launched to the International Space Station with NASA astronautsShane KimbroughandK. Megan McArthur,JAXA astronautAkihiko Hoshide,andESAastronautThomas Pesquet.[256]The Crew-2 mission successfully docked on 24 April 2021.[257]

Resilienceafter splashdown

SpaceX also offers paidcrewed spaceflightsfor private individuals. The first of these missions,Inspiration4,launched in 2021 on behalf ofShift4 PaymentsCEOJared Isaacman.The mission launched theCrew DragonResiliencefrom the FloridaKennedy Space Center'sLaunch Complex 39Aatop aFalcon 9launch vehicle, placed the Dragoncapsuleintolow Earth orbit,and ended successfully about three days later when theResiliencesplashed down in the Atlantic Ocean. All four crew members received commercial astronaut training from SpaceX. The training included lessons in orbital mechanics, operating in a microgravity environment, stress testing, emergency-preparedness training, and mission simulations.[258]

National defense

[edit]
Launch of theSTP-2mission on a Falcon Heavy in June 2019

In 2005, SpaceX announced that it had been awarded anIndefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity(IDIQ) contract, allowing theUnited States Air Forceto purchase up to $100million worth of launches from the company.[259]Three years later,NASAannounced that it had awarded an IDIQ Launch Services contract to SpaceX for up to $1billion, depending on the number of missions awarded.[260]In December 2012, SpaceX announced its first two launch contracts with theUnited States Department of Defense(DoD). The United States Air ForceSpace and Missile Systems Centerawarded SpaceX two EELV-class missions:Deep Space Climate Observatory(DSCOVR) andSpace Test Program 2(STP-2). DSCOVR was launched on aFalcon 9launch vehicle in 2015, while STP-2 was launched on aFalcon Heavyon 25 June 2019.[261]

TheFalcon 9 v1.1was certified forNational Security Space Launch(NSSL) in 2015, allowing SpaceX to contract launch services to the Air Force for any payloads classified under national security.[147]This broke the monopoly held since 2006 byUnited Launch Alliance(ULA) over U.S. Air Force launches of classified payloads.[262]In April 2016, the U.S. Air Force awarded the first such national security launch to SpaceX to launch the secondGPS IIIsatellite for $82.7million.[263]This was approximately 40% less than the estimated cost for similar previous missions.[264]SpaceX also launched the third GPS III launch on 20 June 2020.[265]In March 2018, SpaceX secured an additional $290million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three GPS III satellites.[266]

The U.S.National Reconnaissance Office(NRO) also purchased launches from SpaceX, with the first taking place on 1 May 2017.[267]In February 2019, SpaceX secured a $297million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three national security missions, all slated to launch no earlier than FY 2021.[268]In August 2020, theU.S. Space Forceawarded its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) contracts for the following 5–7 years. SpaceX won a contract for $316million for one launch. In addition, SpaceX will handle 40% of the U.S. military's satellite launch requirements over the period.[269]

SpaceX also designs and launchescustom military satellitesfor theSpace Development Agencyas part of a new missile defense system in low Earth orbit.[270]The constellation would give the United States capabilities to sense, target and potentially intercept nuclear missiles and hypersonic weapons launched from anywhere on Earth.[271]Both China and Russia brought concerns to the United Nations about the program,[272]and various organizations warn it could be destabilizing and trigger anarms racein space.[273][274]

In March 2024, Reuters reported that, as part of a $1.8 billion contract signed with the National Reconnaissance Office in 2021, SpaceX is building a network of hundreds ofspy satellites.This new network, Reuters reported, would be able to operate as a swarm in low orbits.[275]

Launch market competition and pricing pressure

[edit]
Main article:Space launch market competition

SpaceX's low launch prices, especially forcommunications satellitesflying togeostationary transfer orbit(GTO), have resulted in market pressure on its competitors to lower their own prices.[18]Prior to 2013, the openly competed comsat launch market had been dominated by Arianespace (flying theAriane 5) andInternational Launch Services(flying theProton).[276]With a published price of $56.5million per launch tolow Earth orbit,Falcon 9 rockets were the least expensive in the industry.[277]European satellite operators are pushing the ESA to reduce launch prices of theAriane 5andAriane 6rockets as a result of competition from SpaceX.[278]

SpaceX ended the United Launch Alliance (ULA) monopoly of U.S. military payloads when it began to compete for national security launches. In 2015, anticipating a slump in domestic, military, and spy launches, ULA stated that it would go out of business unless it won commercial satellite launch orders.[279]To that end, ULA announced a major restructuring of processes and workforce to decrease launch costs by half.[280][281]

Congressional testimony by SpaceX in 2017 suggested that the NASASpace Act Agreementprocess of "setting only a high-level requirement for cargo transport to the space station [while] leaving the details to industry" had allowed SpaceX to design and develop the Falcon 9 rocket on its own at a substantially lower cost. According to NASA's own independently verified numbers, SpaceX's total development cost for the Falcon 9 rocket, including the Falcon 1 rocket, was estimated at $390million. In 2011, NASA estimated that it would have cost the agency about $4billion to develop a rocket like the Falcon 9 booster based upon NASA's traditional contracting processes, about ten times more.[236]In May 2020, NASA administratorJim Bridenstineremarked that thanks to NASA's investments into SpaceX, the United States has 70% of the commercial launch market, a major improvement since 2012 when there were no commercial launches from the country.[282]

As of 2024, SpaceX operates a Rideshare and Bandwagon (mid inclination) programs. This provides additional competition for small satellite launchers.[283]

Corporate affairs

[edit]
[edit]
Year Revenue
(billion USD) 		Valuation
(billion USD) 		Number of employees
2002 ca. 30[284]
2003
2004
2005 ca. 90(Feb.)[285]
ca. 160(Nov.)[286]
2006
2007 ca. 350(Aug.)[287]
2008 ca. 600(Dec.)[288]
2009 > 800(Dec.)[289]
2010 > 1,000(June)[290]
2011 ca. 1,300(Jan.)[291]
2012 2.4(June)[292] ca. 1,800(May)[293]
2013 ca. 3,800(Oct.)[294]
2014 10(Aug.)[295]
2015 12(Jan.)[296]
2016 15(Nov.)[297] ca. 5,000(Nov.)[298]
2017 21(Nov.)[299] ca. 7,000(Nov.)[300]
2018 27(Apr.)[301]
2019 33(May)[302] > 6,000(July)[303]
2020 1.8[304] 36(May)[305]
2021 2.3[304] 74(Feb.)[306]
100(Oct.)[306] 		> 9,500(March)[307]
2022 4.6[308] 127(Aug.)[309] ca. 12,000(April)[310]
2023 ca. 9[311] 137(Jan.)[312]
180(Dec.)[313] 		> 13,000(Sept.)[314]
2024 ca. 15[311]
(Forecast)

Board of directors

[edit]
SpaceX board of directors as of January 2021[315]
Joined board Name Titles
2002[316] Elon Musk Founder, chairman, CEO and CTO of SpaceX; CEO,Product Architect,and former chairman ofTesla;former chairman ofSolarCity[316]
2002[317] Kimbal Musk Board member, Tesla[318]
2009[319] Gwynne Shotwell President and COO of SpaceX[320]
Luke Nosek Co-founder, PayPal[321]
Steve Jurvetson Co-founder, Future Ventures fund[322]
2010[323] Antonio Gracias CEO and Chairman of the Investment Committee at Valor Equity Partners[324]
2015[325] Donald Harrison President of global partnerships and corporate development, Google[326]

Leadership changes

[edit]

In November 2022, the company announced COO Gwynne Shotwell and vice presidentMark Juncosawould oversee Starbase, its Texas launch facility, along with Omead Afshar, who at the time oversaw operations for Tesla in Texas. Shyamal Patel, who was senior director of operations at the site, would shift to its Cape Canaveral site.CNBCreported that these executive moves demonstrated "the sense of urgency within the company to get Starship flying."[327][328][329]

Workplace culture

[edit]

According to former NASA deputy administratorLori Garver,the company overall has a male-dominated employee culture, similar to that of the spaceflight industry in general.[330]In December 2021, claims of workplace sexual harassment from five former SpaceX employees, ranging from interns to full engineers, were published.[331]The former employees claimed to have experienced unwanted advances and uncomfortable interactions.[332]Additionally, the accounts included claims of a culture ofsexual harassmentexisting at the company and one where complaints made to executives, managers, and human resources officers went largely unaddressed.[333]

In May 2022, a Business Insider article alleged that Musk engaged in sexual misconduct with a SpaceX flight attendant in a private jet in 2016 citing an anonymous friend of the flight attendant.[334]In response, some employees collaborated on an open letter condemning "Elon's harmful Twitter behavior".[335]It also asks the company to clearly define SpaceX's "no-asshole" and "zero tolerance"policies, which it says is unequally enforced from one employee to the next. The next day, Gwynne Shotwell announced that those employees who were involved with the letter had been terminated and claimed that unsponsored, unsolicited surveys were sent to employees during the work day and that some felt pressured to sign the letter.[336]

The company has also been described as having a work culture that pushes employees to work excessively and is described as fostering aburnoutculture.[337]According to a memo byBlue Origin,a rival aerospace company with a history of lawsuits and anti-SpaceX political lobbying,[338][339][340]SpaceX expected very long work hours, work on weekends, and limited use of holidays.[337]

In June 2024, eight ex-employees, the same who had previously been fired for penning the open letter against Elon Musk, filed a lawsuit against Musk and SpaceX alleging sexual harassment and discrimination.[341][342]

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Further reading

[edit]
  • Berger, Eric.Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX.William Collins (2021).ISBN978-0008445621
  • Davenport, Christian.The Space Barons; Elon Musk. Jeff Bezos, and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos.PublicAffairs (2018).ISBN978-1610398299
  • Fernholz, Tim.Rocket Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the New Space Race.Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2018).ISBN978-1328662231
  • Vance, Ashlee.Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping Our Future.Penguin Random House UK (2015).ISBN978-0753555620
[edit]
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