SpaceX

This article is about the rocket and spacecraft manufacturer. For the British art gallery, see SpaceX (art gallery).
"Space Exploration Technologies" redirects here. For the general topics, see Space exploration and Space technology.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

Headquarters in Hawthorne, California
Trade name SpaceX
Type Private
Industry
Space
Telecommunications
Launch service provider
Founded March 14, 2002; 21 years ago in El Segundo, California, U.S.[1]
Founder Elon Musk
Headquarters Hawthorne, California, United States
Key people
Elon Musk (CEO, Chair & CTO)[2]
Gwynne Shotwell (President & COO)[3]
Products
Launch vehicles
Dragon capsules
Starlink satellite internet
Revenue Increase US$4.6 billion (2022)[4]
Net income Negative increase −US$559 million (2022)[4]
Owner Elon Musk (42% equity; 79% voting control)[5]
Number of employees 13,000+[6] (September 2023)
Subsidiaries Swarm Technologies
Website spacex.com Edit this at Wikidata
Elon Musk in 2022
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Companies
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In popular culture
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"Members Only""The Platonic Permutation""The Musk Who Fell to Earth""One Crew over the Crewcoo's Morty"
Elon Musk's Crash Course
Related
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Space Exploration Technologies Corp., commonly referred to as SpaceX, is an American spacecraft manufacturer, launch service provider, defense contractor and satellite communications company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and to colonize Mars. The company currently operates the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets along with the Dragon spacecraft.

The company offers internet service via its Starlink satellites, which became the largest-ever satellite constellation in January 2020 and as of June 2023 comprised more than 4,300 small satellites in orbit.[7] Starlink was also notably used in the war in Ukraine.[8]

Meanwhile, the company is developing Starship, a human-rated, fully-reusable, super heavy-lift launch system for interplanetary and orbital spaceflight. On its failed first flight in April 2023, it became the largest and most powerful rocket ever flown.

SpaceX is the first private company to develop a liquid-propellant rocket that has reached orbit; to launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft; to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station; and to send astronauts to the International Space Station. It is also the first organization of any type to achieve a vertical propulsive landing of an orbital rocket booster and the first to reuse such a booster. The company's Falcon 9 rockets have landed and reflown more than 200 times.[9]