History of SpaceX in Timeline
SpaceX, founded in 2002, is an American space technology company. It has pioneered advancements in rocket propulsion, reusable launch vehicles, human spaceflight, and satellite constellations. As of 2024, SpaceX is the world's leading space launch provider, surpassing competitors and national programs. The company collaborates extensively with NASA and the U.S. Armed Forces through government contracts.
2001: Elon Musk Joins Mars Society
In early 2001, Elon Musk met Robert Zubrin and donated $100,000 to his Mars Society, joining its board of directors for a short time. He announced Mars Oasis, a project to land a greenhouse and grow plants on Mars and attempted to acquire a Dnepr launch vehicle for the project.
2002: SpaceX Founding
In 2002, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., SpaceX, was founded, marking the beginning of the company's journey in space technology.
2002: SpaceX Initial Staffing
In early 2002, Elon Musk started recruiting staff for SpaceX and the company was headquartered in a warehouse in El Segundo, California.
2003: SpaceX leased the McGregor facility
In 2003, SpaceX leased the McGregor facility, originally the site of the Bluebonnet Ordnance Plant during World War II, which was later used by Beal Aerospace.
2004: SpaceX Protests NASA Contract
In 2004, SpaceX protested against NASA due to a sole-source contract awarded to Kistler Aerospace. NASA withdrew the contract and formed the COTS program.
November 2005: SpaceX Employee Count
By November 2005, SpaceX had 160 employees.
2005: Human-Rated Commercial Space Program Announced
In 2005, SpaceX announced its plans to pursue a human-rated commercial space program, which later became the Dragon spacecraft.
2005: SpaceX awarded Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract by U.S. Air Force
In 2005, SpaceX announced that it had been awarded an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, allowing the United States Air Force to purchase up to $100 million worth of launches from the company.
2005: Decision to Develop Falcon 9
In 2005, SpaceX decided to proceed with the development of the Falcon 9, a reusable heavy-lift vehicle, instead of the Falcon 5.
2006: NASA Awards COTS Contract to SpaceX
In 2006, NASA selected SpaceX and awarded $396 million to provide crew and cargo resupply demonstration contracts to the International Space Station under the COTS program.
2006: SpaceX wins NASA COTS Phase 1 contract
In 2006, SpaceX won a NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Phase 1 contract to demonstrate cargo delivery to the ISS, with a possible contract option for crew transport. NASA paid SpaceX $396 million to develop the cargo configuration of the Dragon spacecraft.
2006: First Falcon 1 Launch Purchased
In 2006, the first two Falcon 1 launches were purchased by the United States Department of Defense under the DARPA Falcon Project.
2006: ULA held a monopoly over U.S. Air Force launches of classified payloads
Since 2006, United Launch Alliance (ULA) held a monopoly over U.S. Air Force launches of classified payloads, until Falcon 9 v1.1 certification in 2015.
April 2007: Pentagon approved use of Cape Canaveral SLC-40 by SpaceX
In April 2007, the Pentagon approved the use of Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) by SpaceX.
2008: Falcon 1 Launch Failures
Between 2006 and 2008, the first three launches of the Falcon 1 rocket resulted in failures, almost leading to the company's collapse.
2008: Falcon 1 Successfully Launched
In 2008, Falcon 1 achieved a successful launch into orbit after three unsuccessful attempts, marking a significant milestone for SpaceX.
2008: NASA awarded first CRS contracts
In 2008, NASA awarded the first Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contracts, including $1.6 billion to SpaceX for 12 cargo transport missions, covering deliveries to 2016.
July 2009: Retirement of Falcon 1
In July 2009, following its second successful launch, the Falcon 1 was retired to focus on developing the Falcon 9 rocket.
2009: Falcon 1 Retired
In 2009, SpaceX's small-lift Falcon 1, the first launch vehicle developed, was retired.
June 2010: First Launch of Falcon 9
In June 2010, the Falcon 9 launched for the first time with the Dragon Spacecraft Qualification Unit.
June 2010: Falcon 9 Successfully Reaches Orbit on First Attempt
On June 4, 2010, the Falcon 9 v1.0 rocket successfully reached orbit on its first attempt.
December 2010: Operational Dragon Spacecraft Launched
In December 2010, the first operational Dragon spacecraft was launched aboard COTS Demo Flight 1 on the Falcon 9's second flight and returned to Earth. Also by December 2010, the SpaceX production line was manufacturing one Falcon 9 and Dragon every three months.
December 2010: SpaceX first private company to launch, orbit and recover spacecraft
In December 2010, with the launch of the SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1 mission, SpaceX became the first private company to successfully launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft.
2010: Successful COTS demonstration flight
In 2010, after a successful Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration flight, SpaceX was chosen to receive a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract.
April 2011: NASA Contract for Dragon Launch Escape System
In April 2011, NASA issued a $75 million contract for SpaceX to develop an integrated launch escape system for Dragon as part of the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program.
2011: First crewed vehicle launched from the U.S.
30 May 2020 marked the first time a crewed vehicle had launched from the U.S. since 2011.
2011: SpaceX awarded first NASA contract under CCDev program
In 2011, SpaceX was awarded its first contract as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program, aimed at developing commercially operated spacecraft to deliver astronauts to the ISS.
2011: Leased Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4
In 2011, Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 (SLC-4E) was leased from the military and is used for payloads to polar orbits.
May 2012: Dragon successfully berthed with the ISS during SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2
In May 2012, the Dragon spacecraft successfully berthed with the ISS during SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2, a first for a private spacecraft.
May 2012: Dragon Delivers Cargo to ISS
In May 2012, with the Dragon C2+ launch, Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
May 2012: Falcon 9 Launches First Commercial Spacecraft to ISS
On May 22, 2012, the Falcon 9's third flight, COTS Demo Flight 2, launched the first commercial spacecraft to reach and dock with the International Space Station (ISS).
August 2012: NASA Awards Space Act Agreement for Crew Transportation System
In August 2012, NASA awarded SpaceX a fixed-price Space Act Agreement (SAA) to produce a detailed design of the crew transportation system.
October 2012: SpaceX CRS-1 launched
In October 2012, SpaceX CRS-1, the first of the 12 planned resupply missions, launched, achieved orbit, berthed, and remained on station for 20 days, before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
December 2012: SpaceX announces first launch contracts with U.S. Department of Defense
In December 2012, SpaceX announced its first two launch contracts with the United States Department of Defense (DoD).
2012: Commercial Resupply Services to ISS Began
In 2012, SpaceX completed its COTS test flights and started Commercial Resupply Services missions to the International Space Station. Also around this time, SpaceX started developing hardware to make the Falcon 9 first stage reusable.
2012: SpaceX receives additional NASA contract
In 2012, SpaceX received another contract from NASA to continue the development and testing of its Dragon 2 spacecraft.
2012: No commercial launches from the country
In May 2020, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine remarked 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.
2012: Start of Reusability Test Program
SpaceX's active reusability test program began in late 2012, involving testing low-altitude, low-speed aspects of landing technology.
2013: First Commercial Mission for Private Customer
In 2013, SpaceX launched its first commercial mission for a private customer.
2013: Falcon 9 Upgraded to v1.1
In 2013, the Falcon 9 was upgraded to Falcon 9 v1.1.
2013: High-Velocity Tests of Booster Atmospheric Return Technology
In late 2013, SpaceX began high-velocity, high-altitude tests of the booster atmospheric return technology for Falcon 9.
2013: SpaceX creates market pressure on competitors to lower prices
Prior to 2013, the comsat launch market had been dominated by Arianespace and International Launch Services. With a published price of $56.5 million per launch to low Earth orbit, Falcon 9 rockets were the least expensive in the industry.
April 2014: SpaceX signed lease for Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A
On April 14, 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease for Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, which was subsequently modified to support Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches.
July 2014: FAA issued permit for SpaceX Starbase
In July 2014, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the permit for the SpaceX Starbase.
August 2014: First Plans Announced for SpaceX Starbase
SpaceX announced first plans for the launch facility in Boca Chica near Brownsville, Texas in August 2014 and manufactures and flies Starship test vehicles from the SpaceX Starbase.
September 2014: Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) Contract
In September 2014, NASA awarded SpaceX the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract to finalize the Crew Transportation System.
September 2014: NASA chooses SpaceX and Boeing to develop crew transport systems
In September 2014, NASA selected SpaceX and Boeing as the two companies that would receive funding to develop systems for transporting U.S. crews to and from the ISS. SpaceX was awarded $2.6 billion to complete and certify Dragon 2 by 2017.
January 2015: SpaceX Secures Funding and Announces Starlink
In January 2015, SpaceX raised $1 billion in funding and announced the development of Starlink, a satellite constellation for global broadband internet service.
May 2015: SpaceX completes Pad Abort Test of Crew Dragon spacecraft
In May 2015, SpaceX completed the first key flight test of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, a Pad Abort Test.
June 2015: SpaceX announces Hyperloop competition
In June 2015, SpaceX announced that it would sponsor a Hyperloop competition, and would build a 1.6 km long subscale test track near SpaceX's headquarters for the competitive events.
June 2015: Falcon 9 CRS-7 Mission Failure
In late June 2015, the Falcon 9 experienced its first major failure when the CRS-7 mission exploded two minutes into the flight due to a failed steel strut.
December 2015: First Successful First Stage Landing
In December 2015, SpaceX achieved its first successful landing and recovery of a Falcon 9 first stage during Falcon 9 Flight 20.
2015: SpaceX McGregor facility expansion
By 2015, the SpaceX McGregor facility had expanded from 256 acres in 2003 to 4,000 acres.
2015: NASA extends Phase 1 contracts and certifies Falcon 9 v1.1 for NSSL
In 2015, NASA extended the Phase 1 contracts by ordering an additional three resupply flights from SpaceX. Also, the Falcon 9 v1.1 was certified for National Security Space Launch (NSSL), allowing SpaceX to contract launch services to the Air Force.
2015: First Successful First-Stage Landing
In 2015, SpaceX achieved its first successful landing of the Falcon 9 first stage, demonstrating progress in reusable rocket technology.
2015: Starlink development began
In 2015, SpaceX began the development of Starlink, an internet satellite constellation, aiming to provide low-cost broadband capabilities worldwide.
2015: ULA anticipates a slump in 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. To that end, ULA announced a major restructuring of processes and workforce to decrease launch costs by half.
2015: DSCOVR launched on Falcon 9
In 2015, the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) was launched on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
2015: Falcon 9 v1.1 certified for National Security Space Launch
In 2015, the Falcon 9 v1.1 was certified for National Security Space Launch (NSSL), allowing SpaceX to contract launch services to the Air Force.
2015: Falcon 9 Upgraded to Full Thrust
In 2015, the Falcon 9 was upgraded to Falcon 9 Full Thrust.
2015: SLC-4W converted to Landing Zone 4 for booster landings
In 2015, the neighboring SLC-4W at Vandenberg was converted to Landing Zone 4 for booster landings.
2015: First Starlink building opened in Redmond
In early 2015, the first building for Starlink's satellite development and manufacturing operations opened in Redmond, Washington.
2015: Landing Zones 1 and 2 used for Falcon 9 booster landings
Since 2015, the former Launch Complex 13 at Cape Canaveral, renamed Landing Zones 1 and 2, has been used for Falcon 9 first-stage booster landings.
2015: Construction ramped up at SpaceX Starbase
SpaceX broke ground on the new launch facility in 2014 with construction ramping up in the latter half of 2015.
January 2016: SpaceX awarded second phase of CRS contracts
In January 2016, SpaceX was awarded a second phase of contracts and will fly up to nine additional CRS flights with the upgraded Dragon 2 spacecraft.
April 2016: First Successful Landing on Drone Ship
In April 2016, SpaceX achieved the first successful landing on the autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Atlantic Ocean.
April 2016: U.S. Air Force awards first national security launch to SpaceX
In April 2016, the U.S. Air Force awarded the first national security launch to SpaceX to launch the second GPS III satellite for $82.7 million.
September 2016: Falcon 9 Explosion During Static Fire Test
In early September 2016, a Falcon 9 exploded during a propellant fill operation for a pre-launch static fire test, destroying the AMOS-6 communications satellite valued at $200 million and sending the company into a four-month launch hiatus.
October 2016: Price Discount for Reused Falcon 9
By October 2016, SpaceX indicated that they were offering customers a 10% price discount for flying their payload on a reused Falcon 9 first stage.
2016: Falcon 9 Experiences Pre-Flight Failure
In 2016, a Falcon 9 experienced a pre-flight failure before a static fire test.
2016: Alleged sexual misconduct with a SpaceX flight attendant
In May 2022, a Business Insider article alleged that Elon Musk engaged in sexual misconduct with a SpaceX flight attendant in a private jet in 2016 citing an anonymous friend of the flight attendant.
2016: Raptor engine development versions test-fired
In late 2016, SpaceX test-fired development versions of the Raptor engine, a liquid oxygen and liquid methane-fueled engine for the Starship launch system.
2016: End of first CRS contracts
The first CRS contracts awarded to SpaceX in 2008 for 12 cargo transport missions covered deliveries to 2016.
January 2017: SpaceX Returns to Flight
In January 2017, SpaceX returned to flight after a four-month hiatus following the Falcon 9 explosion during a static fire test.
March 2017: First Re-launch of Payload-Carrying Orbital Rocket
In March 2017, SpaceX launched a returned Falcon 9 for the SES-10 satellite, marking the first time a re-launch of a payload-carrying orbital rocket went back to space.
May 2017: First launch purchased from SpaceX by NRO
On 1 May 2017, the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) conducted its first launch purchased from SpaceX.
July 2017: Company Valuation Reaches $21 Billion
In July 2017, SpaceX raised $350 million, raising its valuation to $21 billion.
2017: Deadline to complete and certify Dragon 2
By 2017, SpaceX was contracted to complete and certify the Dragon 2, including at least one crewed flight test with at least one NASA astronaut aboard.
2017: Initial Starlink prototype satellites launched
In 2017, SpaceX launched initial prototype test-flight satellites for Starlink on the SpaceX Paz satellite mission.
2017: Starship development intended to supersede existing launch vehicles
In 2017, SpaceX planned for its fully reusable super-heavy lift launch system, Starship, with the Super Heavy first stage, to replace existing launch vehicle hardware by the early 2020s.
2017: First Re-launch of First Stage
In 2017, SpaceX successfully re-launched a Falcon 9 first stage, marking another achievement in reusable rocket technology.
2017: SpaceX held annual Hyperloop competition
SpaceX held the annual Hyperloop competition from 2017 to 2019.
March 2018: Global Commercial Launch Provider Leader
By March 2018, SpaceX had more than 100 launches on its manifest, representing about $12 billion in contract revenue and making SpaceX the leading global commercial launch provider.
March 2018: SpaceX secures contract to launch three GPS III satellites
In March 2018, SpaceX secured an additional $290 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three GPS III satellites.
May 2018: Completion of the Boring Company Test Tunnel
In May 2018, The Boring Company, a subsidiary of SpaceX, completed the construction of a short test tunnel located on and adjacent to the SpaceX headquarters and manufacturing facility.
December 2018: Opening of the Boring Company Test Tunnel
In December 2018, The Boring Company opened its test tunnel to the public.
2018: SpaceX missions on the manifest for 2018
In 2018, SpaceX had approximately thirty missions on the manifest, representing over $12 billion under contract.
2018: Falcon 9 Upgraded to Block 5
In 2018, the Falcon 9 was upgraded to Falcon 9 Block 5.
2018: First Flight of Falcon Heavy
In 2018, the Falcon Heavy, composed of three Falcon 9 boosters, had its first flight after a decade-long development.
January 2019: SpaceX Announces Workforce Reduction to Finance Starship and Starlink
In January 2019, SpaceX announced it would lay off 10% of its workforce to help finance the Starship and Starlink projects.
February 2019: SpaceX secures contract to launch national security missions
In February 2019, SpaceX secured a $297 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three national security missions.
May 2019: SpaceX Launches First Large Batch of Starlink Satellites
In May 2019, SpaceX launched the first large batch of 60 Starlink satellites, starting the deployment of what would become the world's largest commercial satellite constellation.
May 2019: SpaceX valuation rises to $33.3 billion
In May 2019, SpaceX's valuation had increased to $33.3 billion.
June 2019: Space Test Program 2 (STP-2) launched on a Falcon Heavy
On 25 June 2019, the Space Test Program 2 (STP-2) was launched on a Falcon Heavy launch vehicle.
2019: Raptor engine's first flight
In 2019, the Raptor engine flew for the first time, powering the Starhopper vehicle to an altitude of 20 m (66 ft).
2019: First Starlink Satellite Online
In 2019, the first operational satellite of the Starlink internet satellite constellation was activated.
2019: SpaceX conducts full uncrewed test flight
In early 2019, SpaceX successfully conducted a full uncrewed test flight. The capsule docked to the ISS and then splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.
2019: First flight of Dragon 2 to ISS without crew
In early 2019, the second-generation Dragon 2 spacecraft conducted its first flight, without crew, to the ISS.
2019: Launch Pad 39A prepared to accommodate Starship launches
Launch Pad 39A has been prepared since 2019 to eventually accommodate Starship launches.
2019: SpaceX held annual Hyperloop competition
SpaceX held the annual Hyperloop competition from 2017 to 2019.
2019: First suborbital launches from SpaceX Starbase
The first suborbital launches from the SpaceX Starbase occurred in 2019.
January 2020: SpaceX conducts in-flight abort test
In January 2020, SpaceX conducted an in-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.
March 2020: Dragon XL revealed as resupply spacecraft for Lunar Gateway
In March 2020, SpaceX revealed the Dragon XL, a resupply spacecraft designed for NASA's planned Lunar Gateway space station under a Gateway Logistics Services (GLS) contract.
March 2020: SpaceX Valuation Reaches $36 Billion
In March 2020, SpaceX's valuation had risen to $36 billion.
April 2020: Final Dragon 1 mission departs ISS
In April 2020, the final Dragon 1 mission, SpaceX CRS-20, departed the ISS, and the Dragon spacecraft was subsequently retired from service.
May 2020: NASA administrator praises NASA's investments into SpaceX
In May 2020, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine remarked 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.
May 2020: SpaceX Launches NASA Astronauts into Orbit on Crew Dragon
In May 2020, SpaceX successfully launched two NASA astronauts, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, into orbit on a Crew Dragon spacecraft during Crew Dragon Demo-2, marking the first crewed orbital launch from American soil in 9 years and making SpaceX the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station.
May 2020: Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission launched to ISS
On 30 May 2020, the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission was launched to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, marking the first time a crewed vehicle had launched from the U.S. since 2011.
May 2020: First crewed mission launched from Launch Pad 39A
On May 30, 2020, SpaceX launched its first crewed mission to the ISS from Launch Pad 39A.
June 2020: SpaceX launches third GPS III satellite
On 20 June 2020, SpaceX launched the third GPS III satellite.
August 2020: SpaceX Valuation Increases to $46 Billion
In August 2020, after a $1.9 billion funding round, SpaceX's valuation increased to $46 billion.
August 2020: SpaceX wins National Security Space Launch contract
In August 2020, the U.S. Space Force awarded its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) contracts, with SpaceX winning a contract for $316 million for one launch and handling 40% of the U.S. military's satellite launch requirements.
November 2020: Crew-1 mission successfully launched to ISS
On 16 November 2020, the Crew-1 mission was successfully launched to the International Space Station, carrying NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi.
December 2020: First flight of Dragon 2 cargo variant to ISS
In December 2020, the cargo variant of Dragon 2 flew for the first time, for a resupply mission to the ISS as part of the CRS contract with NASA.
2020: COVID-19 antibody-testing program
In 2020, SpaceX invited employees to participate in a COVID-19 antibody-testing program, resulting in a peer-reviewed scientific paper suggesting that a certain level of COVID-19 antibodies may provide lasting protection against the virus.
2020: Dragon 2 Crewed Missions Began
In 2020, SpaceX started operating its Dragon 2 capsules to conduct crewed missions for NASA and private entities. Around this time, SpaceX began building test prototypes for Starship.
2020: Initial Starlink test operation began
In late 2020, SpaceX began the initial test operation of the Starlink constellation.
February 2021: SpaceX Raises $1.61 Billion in Equity Round
In February 2021, SpaceX raised an additional $1.61 billion in an equity round, raising the company valuation to approximately $74 billion.
April 2021: Crew-2 launched to ISS and successfully docked
On 23 April 2021, the Crew-2 mission launched to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and K. Megan McArthur, JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet. The Crew-2 mission successfully docked on 24 April 2021.
April 2021: Starship HLS Wins NASA Contract
On April 16, 2021, Starship HLS secured a contract to play a crucial role in NASA's Artemis program for crewed spaceflight.
July 2021: SpaceX plans second Raptor engine production facility in McGregor
In July 2021, SpaceX announced plans to build a second production facility for Raptor engines at McGregor, with the goal of producing 800 to 1,000 Raptor engines per year.
July 2021: SpaceX Unveils Drone Ship A Shortfall of Gravitas
In July 2021, SpaceX unveiled another drone ship named A Shortfall of Gravitas.
August 2021: Landing on "A Shortfall of Gravitas"
On 29 August 2021, SpaceX successfully landed a booster from CRS-23 on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas for the first time.
October 2021: SpaceX valuation reaches $100.3 billion
By October 2021, the valuation of SpaceX had risen to $100.3 billion.
December 2021: Claims of workplace sexual harassment at SpaceX
In December 2021, claims of workplace sexual harassment from five former SpaceX employees were published, detailing unwanted advances, uncomfortable interactions, and a culture where complaints went unaddressed.
December 2021: SpaceX Announces Carbon Dioxide Removal Program
On December 13, 2021, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that the company was starting a carbon dioxide removal program to convert captured carbon into rocket fuel.
2021: Inspiration4 mission launched
In 2021, SpaceX launched its first paid crewed spaceflight for private individuals, the Inspiration4 mission, on behalf of Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman. The mission launched the Crew Dragon Resilience.
2021: SpaceX signed a contract with the National Reconnaissance Office
In 2021, SpaceX signed a $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office to build a network of hundreds of spy satellites.
2021: National security missions were slated to launch
In February 2019, SpaceX secured a contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch national security missions no earlier than FY 2021.
2021: Starlink first orders taken
In early 2021, SpaceX began taking first orders for Starlink internet service, with customers expecting speeds of 50 Mbit/s to 150 Mbit/s and latency from 20 ms to 40 ms.
May 2022: Allegations of sexual misconduct and employee open letter
In May 2022, a Business Insider article alleged that Elon Musk engaged in sexual misconduct with a SpaceX flight attendant in 2016. In response, some employees collaborated on an open letter condemning "Elon's harmful Twitter behavior".
November 2022: Executive moves at SpaceX to oversee Starbase
In November 2022, SpaceX announced that COO Gwynne Shotwell and vice president Mark Juncosa would oversee Starbase, its Texas launch facility, along with Omead Afshar. These moves demonstrated "the sense of urgency within the company to get Starship flying".
December 2022: SpaceX announced Starshield program
In December 2022, SpaceX announced Starshield, a program to incorporate military or government entity payloads on board a Starlink-derived satellite bus.
December 2022: Starlink reached over 1 million subscribers worldwide
In December 2022, Starlink reached over 1 million subscribers worldwide.
December 2022: FCC Approves Launch of 7,500 SpaceX Starlink Satellites
In December 2022, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the launch of up to 7,500 of SpaceX's next-generation satellites in its Starlink internet network.
2022: Starship preparation accelerated at Launch Pad 39A
With delays in launch FAA permits for Boca Chica, Texas, the Launch Pad 39A Starship preparation was accelerated in 2022.
February 2023: SpaceX sells oil rigs intended for launch platforms
As of February 2023, SpaceX had sold the oil rigs that were intended to be modified into floating launch platforms for the Starship launch vehicle, but had not ruled out sea-based platforms for future use.
April 2023: Starship's First Orbital Flight Test Ends in Mid-Air Explosion
On April 20, 2023, Starship's first orbital flight test ended in a mid-air explosion over the Gulf of Mexico before booster separation. Multiple engine failures led to the vehicle losing control and being intentionally destroyed.
October 2023: SpaceX Claims Regulatory Delays Impede Starship Development
In October 2023, a senior SpaceX executive stated that the company had been ready to launch the next test flight since September but accused government regulators of delaying the project's progress, potentially impacting the U.S. in the race to the Moon.
November 2023: SpaceX to Acquire Pioneer Aerospace
In November 2023, SpaceX announced it would acquire its parachute supplier Pioneer Aerospace out of bankruptcy for $2.2 million.
November 2023: Starship Launched on Second Flight Test
On 18 November 2023, SpaceX launched Starship on its second flight test, with both vehicles flying for a few minutes before separately exploding.
2023: Report on high injury rates at SpaceX
In 2023, Reuters reported that "SpaceX employees say they’re paying the price for the billionaire’s push to colonize space at breakneck speed". An examination of OSHA's records revealed injury rates higher than the industry's averages.
2023: Orbital launches starting from SpaceX Starbase
Orbital launches from the SpaceX Starbase started in 2023.
March 2024: SpaceX building a network of spy satellites
In March 2024, Reuters reported that SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites as part of a $1.8 billion contract signed with the National Reconnaissance Office in 2021.
March 2024: Starship Completes Third Flight, Reaches Suborbital Trajectory
In early March 2024, SpaceX announced targeting 14 March for Starship's third uncrewed launch, which was granted on 13 March. On 14 March 2024, Starship launched, reaching a suborbital trajectory, but ended with booster malfunction and ship loss during re-entry.
May 2024: SpaceX unveils second spacesuit for extravehicular activity
On May 4, 2024, SpaceX unveiled a second spacesuit designed for extravehicular activity, planned to be used for a spacewalk during the Polaris Dawn mission.
June 2024: SpaceX introduced Starlink Mini
In June 2024, SpaceX introduced the "Starlink Mini", a compact version of its Starlink antennas for mobile satellite internet use, priced at $599 in early access.
June 2024: Ex-employees file lawsuit against Musk and SpaceX
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.
June 2024: SpaceX Receives License for Starship's Fourth Flight
On June 4, 2024, SpaceX received the launch license for Starship's fourth flight test, notable for allowing subsequent launches without mishap investigation under specific conditions, potentially speeding development.
July 2024: Elon Musk Announces SpaceX Headquarters Move to Texas
On July 16, 2024, Elon Musk announced on X that SpaceX would move its headquarters from Hawthorne, California, to SpaceX Starbase in Brownsville, Texas, citing California AB1955 bill.
August 2024: SpaceX cited for environmental violations at Starbase facility
In August 2024, SpaceX faced scrutiny and was cited by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for violating environmental regulations at its Starbase facility, with the EPA fining SpaceX approximately $150,000.
August 2024: SpaceX Headquarters Officially Moved to Brownsville, Texas
In August 2024, records filed with the California Secretary of State confirmed that SpaceX's headquarters had officially moved to Brownsville, Texas.
August 2024: SpaceX Hawthorne facility headquarters relocation
The Hawthorne facility was SpaceX's headquarters until August 2024. 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.
October 2024: Falcon 9 Reusability Milestone
As of October 2024, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets have landed and flown again more than 330 times, with a launch cadence of 1–2 launches per week, demonstrating a high level of reusability.
October 2024: SpaceX Receives FAA Approval for Starship's Fifth Flight Test
On 12 October 2024, SpaceX received FAA approval for Starship's fifth flight test, the first without engine failures, and the first successful tower catch.
November 2024: SpaceX Launches Starship on Sixth Flight Test
In November 2024, SpaceX launched Starship on its sixth flight test. The booster aborted the catch attempt, while the ship conducted a relight in space.
December 2024: Musk didn't have access to government secrets
In December 2024, WSJ reported that Musk didn't have access to government secrets.
December 2024: Federal agencies investigate SpaceX
In December 2024, federal agencies investigated SpaceX for security violations as well as Musk's alleged drug use.
2024: Launch Pad 39A supports Falcon Heavy launches
As of 2024, Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A is the only pad that supports Falcon Heavy launches.
2024: SpaceX McGregor test facility activity
As of 2024, SpaceX calls the McGregor rocket engine test facility the most advanced and active in the world, with over 7,000 tests conducted since it opened, and seven engine test fires on a typical day.
2024: Dominant Space Launch Provider
As of 2024, SpaceX has become the world's dominant space launch provider, surpassing competitors and national programs.
2024: SpaceX operates Rideshare and Bandwagon programs
As of 2024, SpaceX operates a Rideshare and Bandwagon (mid inclination) programs providing additional competition for small satellite launchers.
2024: Estimated SpaceX Revenue
In 2024, it was estimated that SpaceX has a revenue of over $10 billion.
January 2025: SpaceX Launches Starship on Seventh Flight Test
On 16 January 2025, SpaceX launched Starship on its seventh flight test, featuring the first Block 2 Ship and a Starlink V3 simulator, launching at 22:37 UTC. The Super Heavy booster was caught, but contact with the 'Ship' was lost after 8 minutes, resulting in the ship failing during the ascent. The spacecraft reportedly exploded around 8.5 minutes after launch over the Atlantic Ocean near the Turks and Caicos Islands. The FAA required a mishap investigation on the 18th of January.
March 2025: Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy Launch Statistics Update
As of 21 March 2025, the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy have been launched 465 times, resulting in 462 full mission successes, one partial success, and one in-flight failure.
March 2025: SpaceX Launches Starship Rocket That Breaks Apart Mid-Flight
On 7 March 2025, SpaceX launched another Starship rocket, this time from Texas. Contact was lost minutes into the test flight and the spacecraft came tumbling down and broke apart. Preliminary investigation revealed that Starship’s 7th test flight was disrupted by an oxygen leak, flashes and sustained fires in its aft section, which caused the rocket’s engines to shut down and turn on the spacecraft’s self-destruct system.
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