SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets. QUICK FACTS ABOUT SPACEX: FOUNDED VEHICLES LAUNCHES CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES 2002 3 100+ 6,000+ YOU ARE HERE VIEW MORE SPACEX VIDEOS MAKING HISTORY SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company capable of returning a spacecraft from low Earth orbit, which it first accomplished in 2010. The company made history again in 2012 when its Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX successfully achieved the historic first reflight of an orbital class rocket in 2017, and the company now regularly launches flight-proven rockets. In 2018, SpaceX began launching Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful operational rocket by a factor of two. 19 MARCH 2019 CREW DRAGON DOCKS WITH ISS Crew Dragon docked with the International Space Station on March 3 at 3:02 a.m. PST, becoming the first American spacecraft to autonomously dock with the orbiting laboratory. 18 FEBRUARY 2018 FALCON HEAVY FIRST FLIGHT Falcon Heavy is the world’s most powerful operational rocket by a factor of two, capable of carrying large payloads to orbit and supporting missions as far as the Moon or Mars. 17 JUNE 2017 FIRST DRAGON REFLIGHT This Dragon resupply mission represented the first reflight of a commercial spacecraft to and from the International Space Station. MARCH 2017 FIRST REFLIGHT On March 30, 2017, SpaceX achieved the world's first reflight of an orbital class rocket. Following delivery of the payload, the Falcon 9 first stage returned to Earth for the second time. 16 APRIL 2016 DRONESHIP LANDING On April 8, 2016, the Falcon 9 rocket launched the Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station, and the first stage returned and landed on the "Of Course I Still Love You" droneship. 15 DECEMBER 2015 FIRST LAND LANDING On December 21, 2015, the Falcon 9 rocket delivered 11 communications satellites to orbit, and the first stage returned and landed at Landing Zone 1 -– the first-ever orbital class rocket landing. MAY 2015 PAD ABORT TEST Crew Dragon tests launch abort system, which can provide astronauts with escape capability all the way to orbit. JANUARY 2015 DRONE SHIP LANDINGS SpaceX begins series of first stage landing attempts on an autonomous spaceport drone ship. 14 SEPTEMBER 2014 SPACEX AWARDED $2.6B COMMERCIAL CREW CONTRACT NASA awards SpaceX contract to fly American astronauts. JUNE 2014 FALCON 9 REUSABLE TEST VEHICLE FLIES 1000M Vehicle completes highest leap to date, lands safely. APRIL 2014 FIRST STAGE LANDING Falcon 9 first stage successfully lands in Atlantic Ocean. 13 DECEMBER 2013 FIRST FLIGHT OF FALCON 9 TO GTO Falcon 9 reaches Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit OCTOBER 2013 GRASSHOPPER COMPLETES HALF-MILE FLIGHT The Grasshopper program finished with a 744m flight, hover, and landing. 12 MAY 2012 DRAGON VISITS STATION Dragon becomes the first private spacecraft in history to visit the space station. 10 DECEMBER 2010 DRAGON RETURNS FROM EARTH ORBIT On December 8, 2010, Dragon became the first privately developed spacecraft in history to re-enter from low-Earth orbit. JUNE 2010 FALCON 9 FIRST FLIGHT Met 100% of mission objectives on the first flight! 09 JULY 2009 FALCON 1 FLIGHT 5 MAKES HISTORY Falcon 1 Flight 5 makes history, becoming the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to deliver a commercial satellite to Earth orbit 08 DECEMBER 2008 SPACEX WINS $1.6B CRS CONTRACT NASA awards SpaceX $1.6B Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. SEPTEMBER 2008 FALCON 1 MAKES HISTORY Falcon 1 becomes the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to reach Earth orbit. 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2010 2009 2008 1 / 19PREVIOSENEXT ADVANCING THE FUTURE As one of the world’s fastest growing providers of launch services, SpaceX has secured over 100 missions to its manifest, representing over $12 billion on contract. These include commercial satellite launches as well as US government missions. SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is flying numerous cargo resupply missions to the space station under a series of Commercial Resupply Services contracts. Dragon was designed from the outset to carry humans to space and will soon fly astronauts under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Building on the achievements of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, SpaceX is working on a next generation of fully reusable launch vehicles that will be the most powerful ever built, capable of carrying humans to Mars and other destinations in the solar system. CONTACT SPACEX SPACEX HEADQUARTERS Rocket Road Hawthorne, California 310-363-6000 MEDIA INQUIRIES media@spacex.com SALES INQUIRIES sales@spacex.com SpaceX is a private company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk. The company has more than 6,000 employees across locations, including its headquarters in Hawthorne, CA; launch facilities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL; Kennedy Space Center, FL; and Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA; a rocket development facility in McGregor, TX; and offices in Redmond, WA; Irvine, CA; Houston, TX; Chantilly, VA; and Washington, DC. SpaceX has suppliers in all 50 states. See our SpaceX Supplier/Contractor Policy and our policy on trademarks, copyrights and other IP.