Elon Musk's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Elon Musk.

Elon Musk is a businessman and entrepreneur who leads Tesla, SpaceX, Twitter, and xAI. As of February 2026, he is the world's wealthiest person, with an estimated net worth of US$852 billion according to Forbes.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

February 1999: Compaq Acquires Zip2

In February 1999, Compaq acquired Zip2 for $307 million in cash, and Elon Musk received $22 million for his 7-percent share.

2002: PayPal Acquired by eBay

In 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in stock, with Elon Musk receiving $175.8 million as the largest shareholder.

2008: AIAA George Low Transportation Award

In 2008, Elon Musk received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics George Low Transportation Award for his contributions to the development of the Falcon rockets.

2008: SpaceX Receives NASA Contract

In 2008, SpaceX succeeded in launching the Falcon 1 into orbit and received a $1.6 billion NASA contract for Falcon 9-launched Dragon spacecraft flights to the International Space Station (ISS).

2008: Tesla Begins Delivery of the Roadster

In 2008, Tesla began delivery of the Roadster, an electric sports car. With sales of about 2,500 vehicles, it was the first mass production all-electric car to use lithium-ion battery cells.

2009: Lawsuit Settlement Designates Musk as Tesla Co-founder

In 2009, a lawsuit settlement with Martin Eberhard designated Elon Musk as a Tesla co-founder, along with Marc Tarpenning and two others.

2010: FAI Gold Space Medal

In 2010, Elon Musk received the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Gold Space Medal.

2010: Tesla's Initial Public Offering

In 2010, Tesla had its initial public offering (IPO), marking a significant milestone for the company.

2010: Listed as one of Time's most influential people

In 2010, Time listed Elon Musk as one of the most influential people in the world.

2011: Space Shuttle Retirement

In 2011, the Space Shuttle retired, and SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft flights to the ISS began to replace it.

2012: Royal Aeronautical Society Gold Medal

In 2012, Elon Musk received the Royal Aeronautical Society Gold Medal.

2012: Tesla Launches Model S

In 2012, Tesla launched the Model S, a four-door sedan, adding to its line of electric vehicles.

2012: Dragon Spacecraft Docks with ISS

In 2012, the Dragon vehicle docked with the ISS, marking a first for a commercial spacecraft.

2013: SolarCity Becomes Second Largest Provider in the US

By 2013, SolarCity was the second largest provider of solar power systems in the United States.

2013: Listed as one of Time's most influential people

In 2013, Time listed Elon Musk as one of the most influential people in the world.

2015: Honorary doctorate from Yale University

In 2015, Elon Musk received an honorary doctorate in engineering and technology from Yale University.

2015: SpaceX Lands Falcon 9 First Stage

In 2015, SpaceX successfully landed the first stage of a Falcon 9 on a land platform, working towards its goal of reusable rockets.

2015: Tesla Launches Model X

In 2015, Tesla launched the Model X, a crossover vehicle, expanding its range of electric cars.

2016: Tesla Acquires SolarCity

In 2016, Tesla acquired SolarCity for $2 billion (equivalent to $2,600,000,000 in 2024) and merged it with its battery unit to create Tesla Energy.

2017: Tesla Launches Model 3

In 2017, Tesla launched the Model 3, a mass-market sedan, aiming to make electric vehicles more accessible.

2017: SolarCity Factory Construction Completed

In 2017, construction of the SolarCity factory in Buffalo, New York, was completed. It operated as a joint venture with Panasonic until early 2020.

2018: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society

In 2018, Elon Musk was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).

2018: SpaceX Launches Falcon Heavy

In 2018, SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy, with the inaugural mission carrying Elon Musk's personal Tesla Roadster as a dummy payload.

2018: Debut of Los Angeles Tunnel

In 2018, The Boring Company's Los Angeles tunnel, less than two miles in length, debuted to journalists, utilizing Tesla Model Xs.

2018: Listed as one of Time's most influential people

In 2018, Time listed Elon Musk as one of the most influential people in the world.

May 2019: First Large Starlink Constellation Deployed

In May 2019, the first large constellation of Starlink satellites was deployed.

2020: SpaceX Estimates Starlink Project Cost

In 2020, SpaceX estimated the total cost of the decade-long project to design, build, and deploy the Starlink constellation to be $10 billion.

2020: SpaceX Launches First Crewed Flight

In 2020, SpaceX launched its first crewed flight, the Demo-2, becoming the first private company to place astronauts into orbit and dock a crewed spacecraft with the ISS.

2020: Tesla Launches Model Y

In 2020, Tesla launched the Model Y, a crossover vehicle, further diversifying its electric car offerings.

2020: Tesla Becomes Most Valuable Carmaker

In the summer of 2020, Tesla became the most valuable carmaker, and it entered the S&P 500 later that year, demonstrating its significant growth and market presence.

October 2021: Tesla Reaches $1 Trillion Market Capitalization

In October 2021, Tesla reached a market capitalization of $1 trillion (equivalent to $1,200,000,000,000 in 2024), becoming the sixth company in U.S. history to achieve this milestone.

2021: Named Time's Person of the Year

In 2021, Elon Musk was selected as Time's "Person of the Year".

2021: Neuralink Releases Video of Macaque Playing Pong

In 2021, Neuralink released a video in which a macaque played the video game Pong via a Neuralink implant, demonstrating the company's progress in brain-computer interfaces.

2021: Completion of Las Vegas Convention Center Tunnel

In early 2021, a tunnel beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center was completed by The Boring Company, and local officials approved further expansions of the tunnel system.

October 27, 2022: Musk Buys Twitter

On October 27, 2022, Elon Musk bought Twitter for approximately $44 billion, after initially backtracking on his decision.

2022: Elected to the National Academy of Engineering

In 2022, Elon Musk was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

2022: Neuralink Announces Clinical Trials

In 2022, Neuralink announced that clinical trials would begin by the end of the year, marking a significant step in the company's development.

February 2023: Jury finds Musk not liable in shareholder lawsuit over Tesla tweet

In February 2023, a jury found Elon Musk and Tesla not liable in a shareholder lawsuit regarding the 2018 tweet about taking Tesla private.

September 2023: FDA Approves Neuralink Human Trials

In September 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved Neuralink to initiate six-year human trials.

2023: Tesla Launches Cybertruck

In 2023, Tesla launched the Cybertruck, a pickup truck, entering a new segment of the vehicle market.

2024: NASA Awards SpaceX Contract to Deorbit ISS

In 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to deorbit the ISS at the end of its lifespan.

2024: Value of NASA Contract Adjusted for Inflation

In 2024, the $1.6 billion NASA contract SpaceX received in 2008 is equivalent to $2,300,000,000.

2024: Cost of Starlink Project Adjusted for Inflation

In 2024, the $10 billion SpaceX estimated for the Starlink project in 2020 is equivalent to $12,000,000,000.

May 2025: Starlink Satellites Operational

As of May 2025, over 7,600 Starlink satellites are operational, comprising 65% of all operational Earth satellites.

November 2025: Tesla Pay Package Approved for Musk

In November 2025, a Tesla pay package worth $1 trillion for Musk was approved, which he is to receive over 10 years if he meets specific goals.

December 2025: Delaware Supreme Court restores Musk's Tesla compensation package

In December 2025, the Delaware Supreme Court overturned the decision to rescind Elon Musk's Tesla compensation package, restoring it and awarding $1 in nominal damages.