What is SpaceX?
SpaceX was founded in 2002 by business tycoon Elon Musk
SpaceX Crew Dragon astronauts’ advice to kids: Find your inspiration and ‘strive for excellence’
NASA Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken join FOX Business from the International Space Station and discuss the SpaceX Dragon, helping maintain the ISS and spending Father’s Day in space.
Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, is a private aerospace company founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in May 2002.
The space services company designs and manufactures spacecraft, rockets, satellites and offers a "rideshare" service – an opportunity for private citizens to reserve a space flight that costs upwards of $1 million, according to the company's website.
"You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great – and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about," Musk's mission statement for the company reads. "It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars."
INSIDE SPACEX: WHAT IT'S LIKE WORKING FOR A COMPANY ON A MISSION TO MARS
Elon Musk is the founder of the company SpaceX, which has been wildly successful in space travel. (Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Since the company's first successful launch in 2008, SpaceX has been an enormous player in space travel. The company was founded by the billionaire in 2002. SpaceX takes spacecrafts from the beginning design stages, all the way through to launch.
To date, SpaceX has had over 200 launches, including one to the International Space Station with civilians on board in 2021. The company has continued to grow over the years, with the ultimate goals of colonizing other planets, and making space travel more accessible. Right now, the company uses partially reusable systems to achieve their missions.
Here is everything you need to know about the company and what it has accomplished so far.
- What is SpaceX?
- How much is SpaceX worth?
- How many rockets has SpaceX launched?
1. What is SpaceX?
Musk is the founder of SpaceX. The private company, since its initial launch, has continued to send equipment, satellites and people, both NASA astronauts and civilians, to space.
The headquarters of the company is located in Hawthorne, California, where spacecrafts are designed and built. There are also testing facilities located in Texas. A number of launches have taken place in Florida, at both the Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Space Launch Complex 40.
Starbase is where the Starship spacecraft is being developed. The Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket is a "fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond," according the SpaceX website.
This spacecraft is powerful, and enormous, with the capability to carry 100 people on board. The revolutionary spacecraft has encountered roadblocks. For example, in April 2023, Starship launched but was unsuccessful and exploded during takeoff.
SPACEX REVEALS WHY STARSHIP EXPLODED MINUTES INTO LAUNCH
SpaceX headquarters is in Hawthorne, California (Alisha Jucevic/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
2. How much is SpaceX worth?
SpaceX is worth around $150 billion, and is a major player within the space industry.
SpaceX has developed into the multibillion-dollar business it is through constant innovation, lower launch costs, increased tourist appeal and reusable equipment.
3. How many rockets has SpaceX launched?
SpaceX has been extremely active in launches, with over 200 since the company's inception. SpaceX has reached many major milestones over the years, and often works with NASA on different missions.
The first successful SpaceX launch was in 2008. Falcon 1 was the "first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to reach Earth orbit," according to the SpaceX website.
In May 2012, the first private spacecraft, Dragon, reached the space station. In December 2015, Falcon 9 was launched and brought 11 communications satellites to orbit.
One of SpaceX's missions is to get more worldwide accessible WiFi. There are already thousands of Starlink satellites in orbit. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
In March 2017, SpaceX accomplished its first reflight of an orbital class rocket using Falcon 9. The following year, in 2018, SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy.
Additionally, other SpaceX successes include the launching of 60 Starlink satellites in 2019 on Falcon 9. As of 2023, there are over 4,400 Starlink satellites in orbit.
The mission of Starlink is to provide internet access to consumers across the world, even in the most remote locations. Starshield, which leverages Starlink technology and was announced in 2022, is designed for government use.
In May 2020, NASA astronauts joined the SpaceX spacecrafts. The astronauts went to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center with the Falcon 9 carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft.
In 2021, SpaceX launched a flight with four civilian passengers on board.