SpaceX: Difference between revisions

Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
	Headquarters in December 2017; plumes from a flight of a Falcon 9 rocket are visible overhead
Trade name	SpaceX
Company type	Private
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	6 May 2002; 22 years ago
Founder	Elon Musk
Headquarters	Hawthorne, California, U.S.; 33°55′15″N 118°19′40″W / 33.9207°N 118.3278°W
Key people	Elon Musk; (CEO and CTO, 2002–present); Gwynne Shotwell; (President and COO);
Products	Several launch vehicles; Several rocket engines; Dragon capsules; Starship (in development); Starlink; ASDS landing platforms;
Services	Orbital rocket launch
Revenue	US$2 billion (2019)
Owner	Elon Musk Trust; (54% equity; 78% voting control)
Number of employees	9,500 (Feb 2021)
Website	www.spacex.com

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Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. SpaceX manufactures the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles, several rocket engines, Dragon cargo and crew spacecraft and Starlink satellites.

SpaceX's achievements include the first privately funded liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit (Falcon 1 in 2008), the first private company to successfully launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft (Dragon in 2010), the first private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station (Dragon in 2012), the first vertical take-off and vertical propulsive landing for an orbital rocket (Falcon 9 in 2015), the first reuse of an orbital rocket (Falcon 9 in 2017), and the first private company to send astronauts to orbit and to the International Space Station (SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 and SpaceX Crew-1 missions in 2020). SpaceX has flown and reflown the Falcon 9 series of rockets over one hundred times.

SpaceX is developing a large internet satellite constellation named Starlink. In January 2020 the Starlink constellation became the largest satellite constellation in the world. SpaceX is also developing Starship, a privately funded super heavy-lift launch system for interplanetary spaceflight. Starship is intended to become the primary SpaceX orbital vehicle once operational, supplanting the existing Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon fleet. Starship will be fully reusable and will have the highest payload capacity of any orbital rocket ever on its debut, scheduled for the early 2020s.

History

2001–2004: Founding

In 2001 Elon Musk conceptualized Mars Oasis, a project to land a miniature experimental greenhouse and grow plants on Mars. He announced that the project would be "the furthest that life's ever traveled" in an attempt to regain public interest in space exploration and increase the budget of NASA.^[5]^[6]^[7] Musk tried to purchase cheap rockets from Russia but returned empty-handed after failing to find rockets for an affordable price.^[8]^[9]

On the flight home Musk realized that he could start a company that could build the affordable rockets he needed.^[9] According to early Tesla and SpaceX investor Steve Jurvetson,^[10] Musk calculated that the raw materials for building a rocket were only 3% of the sales price of a rocket at the time. By applying vertical integration,^[8] producing around 85% of launch hardware in-house,^[11] and the modular approach of modern software engineering, Musk believed SpaceX could cut launch price by a factor of ten and still enjoy a 70% gross margin.^[12]

In early 2002 Musk started to look for staff for his new space company, soon to be named SpaceX. Musk approached rocket engineer Tom Mueller (later SpaceX's CTO of propulsion), and invited him to become his business partner. Mueller agreed to work for Musk, and thus SpaceX was born.^[13] SpaceX was first headquartered in a warehouse in El Segundo, California. By November 2005, the company had 160 employees.^[14]

Musk has stated that one of his goals with SpaceX is to decrease the cost and improve the reliability of access to space, ultimately by a factor of ten.^[15]

2005–2009: Falcon 1 and first orbital launches

SpaceX developed its first orbital launch vehicle, the Falcon 1, with private funding.^[16]^[17] The Falcon 1 was an expandable two-stage-to-orbit small-lift launch vehicle. The total development cost of Falcon 1 was approximately US$90 million.^[18]

In 2005 SpaceX announced plans to pursue a human-rated commercial space program through the end of the decade, a program which would later become the Dragon spacecraft.^[19] In 2006 NASA announced that the company was one of two selected to provide crew and cargo resupply demonstration contracts to the ISS under the COTS program.^[20]

The first two Falcon 1 launches were purchased by the United States Department of Defense under a program that evaluates new US launch vehicles suitable for use by DARPA.^[17]^[21]^[22] The first three launches of the rocket, between 2006 and 2008, all resulted in failures. The first successful launch was achieved on 28 September 2008. The Falcon 1 was retired after its second successful launch in July 2009, to allow SpaceX to focus on the development of a larger orbital rocket, the Falcon 9.^[23]

2010–2012: Falcon 9, Dragon, and NASA contracts

Video of the first launch of Falcon 9

SpaceX originally intended to follow its light Falcon 1 launch vehicle with an intermediate capacity vehicle, the Falcon 5.^[24] SpaceX instead decided in 2005 to proceed with the development of the Falcon 9, a reusable heavier lift vehicle. Development of the Falcon 9 was accelerated by NASA, which committed to purchase several commercial flights if specific capabilities were demonstrated. This started with seed money from the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program in 2006.^[25] The overall contract award was US$278 million to provide development funding for the Dragon spacecraft, Falcon 9, and demonstration launches of Falcon 9 with Dragon.^[25] As part of this contract, the Falcon 9 launched for the first time in June 2010 with the Dragon Spacecraft Qualification Unit, using a mockup of the Dragon spacecraft. The first operational Dragon spacecraft was launched in December 2010 aboard COTS Demo Flight 1, the Falcon 9's second flight, and safely returned to Earth after two orbits, completing all its mission objectives.^[26] By December 2010, the SpaceX production line was manufacturing one Falcon 9 (and Dragon spacecraft) every three months.^[27]

In April 2011, as part of its second-round Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program, NASA issued a US$75 million contract for SpaceX to develop an integrated launch escape system for Dragon in preparation for human-rating it as a crew transport vehicle to the ISS.^[28] In August 2012 NASA awarded SpaceX a firm, fixed-price Space Act Agreement (SAA) with the objective of producing a detailed design of the entire crew transportation system. This contract includes numerous key technical and certification milestones, an uncrewed flight test, a crewed flight test, and six operational missions following system certification.^[29]

In early 2012 approximately two-thirds of the company stock was owned by the founder Musk^[30] and his 70 million shares were then estimated to be worth US$875 million on private markets,^[31] valuing SpaceX at US$1.3 billion.^[32] In May 2012, with the Dragon C2+ launch Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.^[33] After the flight, the company private equity valuation nearly doubled to US$2.4 billion or US$20/share.^[34]^[35] By that time, SpaceX had operated on total funding of approximately US$1 billion over its first decade of operation. Of this, private equity provided approximately US$200 million, with Musk investing approximately US$100 million and other investors having put in about US$100 million.^[36]

SpaceX's active reusability test program began in late 2012 with testing low-altitude, low-speed aspects of the landing technology.^[37] The Falcon 9 prototypes performed vertical takeoffs and landings (VTOL). High-velocity, high-altitude tests of the booster atmospheric return technology began in late 2013.^[37]

2013–2015: Commercial launches and rapid growth

SpaceX launched the first commercial mission for a private customer in 2013. In 2014 SpaceX won nine contracts out of the 20 that were openly competed worldwide.^[38] That year Arianespace requested that European governments provide additional subsidies to face the competition from SpaceX.^[39]^[40] From 2014 SpaceX capabilities and pricing also began to affect the market for launch of U.S. military payloads, which for nearly a decade was dominated by the large U.S. launch provider United Launch Alliance (ULA).^[41] The monopoly had allowed launch costs by the U.S. provider to rise to over US$400 million over the years.^[42]

In January 2015 SpaceX raised US$1 billion in funding from Google and Fidelity, in exchange for 8.33% of the company, establishing the company valuation at approximately US$12 billion.^[43] The same month SpaceX announced the development of a new satellite constellation, called Starlink, to provide global broadband internet service. The following June, the company asked the federal government for permission to begin testing for the project, aiming to build a constellation of 4,425 satellites.^[44]

The Falcon 9 had its first major accident in late June 2015, when the seventh ISS resupply mission CRS-7 exploded after launch.^[45] The problem was discovered to be a failed 2-foot-long steel strut that held a helium pressure vessel, which broke free due to the force of acceleration. This caused a breach and allowed high-pressure helium to escape into the low-pressure propellant tank, causing the failure.^[46]

2015–2017: Reusability milestones

SpaceX first achieved a successful landing and recovery of a first stage in December 2015 with Falcon 9 Flight 20.^[47] In April 2016 the company achieved the first successful landing on the autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) Of Course I Still Love You in the Atlantic Ocean.^[48] By October 2016, following the successful landings, SpaceX indicated they were offering their customers a 10% price discount if they choose to fly their payload on a reused Falcon 9 first stage.^[49]

In early September 2016 a Falcon 9 exploded during a propellant fill operation for a standard pre-launch static fire test.^[50] The payload, the Amos-6 communications satellite valued at US$200 million, was destroyed.^[51] The explosion was caused by the liquid oxygen that is used as propellant turning so cold that it solidified and ignited with carbon composite helium vessels.^[52] Though not considered an unsuccessful flight, the rocket explosion sent the company into a four-month launch hiatus while it worked out what went wrong. SpaceX returned to flight in January 2017.^[53]

On 30 March 2017 SpaceX launched a returned Falcon 9 for the SES-10 satellite. This was the first time a re-launch of a payload-carrying orbital rocket went back to space.^[54] The first stage was recovered again, also making it the first landing of a reused orbital class rocket.^[55]

2017–2018: Leading global commercial launch provider

In July 2017 the Company raised US$350 million for a valuation of US$21 billion.^[56] In 2017 SpaceX achieved a 45% global market share for awarded commercial launch contracts.^[57] By March 2018, SpaceX had over 100 launches on its manifest representing about US$12 billion in contract revenue.^[58] The contracts included both commercial and government (NASA/DOD) customers.^[59] This made SpaceX the leading global commercial launch provider measured by manifested launches.^[60]

In 2017 SpaceX formed a subsidiary, The Boring Company,^[61] and began work to construct a short test tunnel on and adjacent to the SpaceX headquarters and manufacturing facility, utilizing a small number of SpaceX employees,^[62] which was completed in May 2018,^[63]^[64] and opened to the public in December 2018.^[65] During 2018, The Boring Company was spun out into a separate corporate entity with 6% of the equity going to SpaceX, less than 10% to early employees, and the remainder of the equity to Elon Musk.^[65]

SpaceX orbital launches by year^[66]

2019–present: Starship, Starlink, and first crewed launches

On 11 January 2019 SpaceX announced it would lay off 10% of its workforce in order to help finance the Starship and Starlink projects.^[67] Musk had announced his plans to build large spaceships to reach Mars already at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) of 2016.^[68] Construction of initial prototypes and tests for Starship started in early 2019 in Florida and Texas. All Starship construction and testing moved to the new SpaceX South Texas launch site later that year. In May 2019 SpaceX also launched the first large batch of 60 Starlink satellites, beginning the deployment of what would become the world's largest commercial satellite constellation the following year.^[69]

SpaceX raised a total of US$1.33 billion of capital across three funding rounds in 2019.^[70] By May 2019 the valuation of SpaceX had risen to US$33.3 billion^[71] and reached US$36 billion by March 2020.^[72]

On 30 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, making SpaceX the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station and marking the first crewed launch from American soil in 9 years.^[73]^[74] The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.^[75]

On 19 August 2020, after a US$1.9 billion funding round, one of the largest single fundraising pushes by any privately held company, SpaceX's valuation increased to US$46 billion.^[76]^[77]^[78] In February 2021 SpaceX raised an additional US$850 million in an equity round at approximately $420 per share, raising the company valuation to about US$74 billion.^[78]

Summary of achievements

Major achievements of SpaceX are in the reuse of orbital-class launch vehicles and cost reduction in the space launch industry. Most notable of these being the continued landings and relaunches of the first stage of Falcon 9. As of December 2020, SpaceX has used two separate first-stage boosters, B1049 and B1051, seven times each.^[79] SpaceX is defined as a private space company and thus its achievements can also be counted as firsts by a private company.

List of achievements by SpaceX
Date	Achievement	Flight
28 September 2008	First privately funded fully liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit.^[80]	Falcon 1 flight 4
14 July 2009	First privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to put a commercial satellite in orbit.	RazakSAT on Falcon 1 flight 5
9 December 2010	First private company to successfully launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft.	SpaceX Dragon on SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1
25 May 2012	First private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).^[81]	Dragon C2+
22 December 2015	First landing of an orbital rocket's first stage on land.	Falcon 9 flight 20
8 April 2016	First landing of an orbital rocket's first stage on an ocean platform.	Falcon 9 flight 23
30 March 2017	First relaunch and landing of a used orbital first stage.^[54]	B1021 on Falcon 9 flight 32
30 March 2017	First controlled flyback and recovery of a payload fairing.^[82]	Falcon 9 flight 32
3 June 2017	First re-flight of a commercial cargo spacecraft.^[83]	Dragon C106 on SpaceX CRS-11 mission.
6 February 2018	First private spacecraft launched into heliocentric orbit.	Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster on Falcon Heavy test flight
2 March 2019	First private company to send a human-rated spacecraft to orbit.	Crew Dragon Demo-1, on Falcon 9 flight 69
3 March 2019	First private company to autonomously dock a spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).	Crew Dragon Demo-1, on Falcon 9 flight 69
25 July 2019	First use of a full-flow staged combustion cycle engine (Raptor) in a free flying vehicle.^[84] The benefit is a much longer life than conventional engines; it is expected to able to be re-used 1000 times.^[85]	Starhopper
11 November 2019	First reuse of payload fairing. The fairing was from the ArabSat-6A mission in April 2019.	Starlink 1 Falcon 9 launch
January 2020	SpaceX became the largest commercial satellite constellation operator in the world.^[69]	Starlink 3 Falcon 9 launch
30 May 2020	First private company to send humans into orbit.^[86]	Crew Dragon Demo-2
31 May 2020	First private company to send humans to the International Space Station (ISS).^[87]	Crew Dragon Demo-2
24 Jan 2021	Most spacecraft launched into space on a single mission, with 143 satellites.^[a]^[88]	Transporter-1 on Falcon 9

^ Excluding the passive objects launched as part of Project West Ford

Hardware

Launch vehicles

SpaceX has developed three launch vehicles. The small-lift Falcon 1 was the first launch vehicle developed and was retired in 2009. The medium-lift Falcon 9 and the heavy-lift Falcon Heavy are both operational. The Falcon 1 was a small rocket capable of placing several hundred kilograms into low Earth orbit. It launched five times between 2006 and 2009, of which 2 successfully.^[89] It functioned as an early test-bed for developing concepts and components for the larger Falcon 9.^[89] The Falcon 1 was the first privately funded, liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit.^[80]

Falcon 9 is an medium-lift launch vehicle capable of delivering up to 22,800 kilograms (50,265 lb) to orbit, competing with the Delta IV and the Atlas V rockets, as well as other launch providers around the world. It has nine Merlin engines in its first stage. The Falcon 9 v1.0 rocket successfully reached orbit on its first attempt on 4 June 2010. Its third flight, COTS Demo Flight 2, launched on 22 May 2012, and was the first commercial spacecraft to reach and dock with the International Space Station (ISS).^[33] The vehicle was upgraded to Falcon 9 v1.1 in 2013, Falcon 9 Full Thrust in 2015, and finally to Falcon 9 Block 5 in 2018.

The Falcon Heavy is a heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of delivering up to 63,800 kg (140,700 lb) to Low Earth orbit (LEO) or 26,700 kg (58,900 lb) to Geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). It uses three slightly modified Falcon 9 first stage cores with a total of 27 Merlin 1D engines.^[90]^[91] The Falcon Heavy successfully flew its inaugural mission on 6 February 2018, launching Musk's personal Tesla Roadster into heliocentric orbit^[92]

Both the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are certified to conduct launches for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL). As of March 2021^[update], the Falcon 9 and Heavy family have been launched 420 times, resulting in 417 full mission successes (99%), one partial success, and one failure. Additionally, one rocket and its payload were destroyed before launch in preparation for an on-pad static fire test (see List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches).

Rocket engines

Since the founding of SpaceX in 2002 the company has developed four families of rocket engines — Merlin, Raptor, and the retired Kestrel for launch vehicle propulsion, and the Draco control thrusters. Merlin is a family of rocket engines that uses liquid oxygen (LOX) and RP-1 as propellants in a gas-generator power cycle. The Merlin engine was originally designed for sea recovery and reuse. The injector at the heart of Merlin is of the pintle type that was first used in the Apollo Program for the lunar module landing engine. Propellants are fed via a single shaft, dual impeller turbo-pump. Kestrel is a LOX/RP-1 pressure-fed rocket engine and was used as the Falcon 1 rocket's second stage main engine. It is built around the same pintle architecture as SpaceX's Merlin engine but does not have a turbo-pump, and is fed only by tank pressure. Its nozzle is ablatively cooled in the chamber and throat, is also radiatively cooled, and is fabricated from a high strength niobium alloy. Both names for the Merlin and Kestrel engines are derived from species of North American falcons: the American kestrel and the merlin.^[93]

Draco engines are hypergolic liquid-propellant rocket engines that utilize monomethyl hydrazine fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer. Each Draco thruster generates 400 N (90 lb_f) of thrust.^[94] They are used as reaction control system (RCS) thrusters on the Dragon spacecraft.^[95] SuperDraco engines are a much more powerful version of the Draco thrusters, which were initially meant to be used as landing and launch escape system engines on Dragon 2. The concept of using retro-rockets for landing was scrapped in 2017 when it was decided to perform a traditional parachute descent and splashdown at sea.^[96]

First test firing of a scale Raptor development engine in September 2016 in McGregor, Texas.

Raptor is a new family of methane-fueled full-flow staged combustion cycle engines to be used in its future Starship launch system.^[97] Development versions were test-fired in late 2016.^[98] On 3 April 2019, SpaceX conducted a successful static fire test in Texas on its Starhopper vehicle, which ignited the engine while the vehicle remained tethered to the ground.^[99] On 25 July 2019, SpaceX conducted a successful test hop of 20 meters of its Starhopper.^[100] This was followed by higher altitude flights that further tested Raptor performance.^[101]

Dragon spacecraft

The Dragon is a spacecraft design to carry cargo or up to seven astronauts into orbit, dock to the ISS, and safely return to Earth. The first version of Dragon, used only for cargo, was first launched in 2010. The currently operational second generation Dragon spacecraft, also known as Dragon 2, had its first flight to the ISS in early 2019.

On 27 March 2020 SpaceX revealed the Dragon XL resupply spacecraft to carry pressurized and unpressurized cargo, experiments and other supplies to NASA's planned Gateway under a Gateway Logistics Services (GLS) contract.^[102] The equipment delivered by Dragon XL missions could include sample collection materials, spacesuits and other items astronauts may need on the Gateway and on the surface of the Moon, according to NASA. It will launch on SpaceX Falcon Heavy rockets from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon XL will stay at the Gateway for six to 12 months at a time, when research payloads inside and outside the cargo vessel could be operated remotely, even when crews are not present.^[103] Its payload capacity is expected to be more than 5 t (5,000 kg; 11,000 lb) to lunar orbit.^[104]

On 7 December 2020 SpaceX launched new cargo Dragon to Space Station for 100th successful Falcon 9 flight. This is the first launch for this redesigned cargo Dragon, and also the first mission for SpaceX's new series of CRS missions under a renewed contract with NASA. It is carrying 6,400 lb (2,900 kg) of both supplies for the Space Station and its crew, as well as experimental supplies and equipments for the research being done on the Station. This version of Dragon can carry 20% more than the last cargo spacecraft from SpaceX, and it also has twice the number of powered lockers for climate controlled transportation of experimental material.^[105]

Autonomous spaceport drone ships

SpaceX routinely returns the first stage of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets after orbital launches. The rocket flights and land to a predetermined landing site using only its own propulsion systems.^[106] When propellent margins do not permit a return to launch site (RTLS), rockets return to floating landing platform in the ocean, called autonomous spaceport drone ships (ASDS). The autonomous spaceport drone ships are named after giant starships from the Culture series stories by science fiction author Iain M. Banks.^[107]

SpaceX also plans to introduce floating launch platforms. These are modified oil rigs to use in the 2020s to provide a sea launch option for their second-generation launch vehicle: the heavy-lift Starship system, consisting of the Super Heavy booster and Starship second stage. SpaceX has purchased two deepwater oil rigs, for Starship launches, and both platforms are undergoing refit for their new role.^[108]

Starship

SpaceX is developing a fully reusable super-heavy lift launch system, Starship. The Starship system comprises a reusable first stage, called Super Heavy, and a reusable second stage and space vehicle. The system is intended to replace all of the company's existing launch vehicle hardware by the early 2020s.^[109]^[110]

SpaceX initially envisioned a 12-meter-diameter ITS concept in 2016 which was solely aimed at Mars transit and other interplanetary uses. In 2017 SpaceX articulated a smaller 9-meter-diameter BFR to replace all of SpaceX launch service provider capabilities — Earth-orbit, lunar-orbit, interplanetary missions, and potentially, even intercontinental passenger transport on Earth — but do so on a fully reusable set of vehicles with a markedly lower cost structure.^[111] A large portion of the components on Starship are made of 301 stainless steel, with some being manufactured from 304L stainless steel.^[112] Private passenger Yusaku Maezawa has contracted to fly around the Moon in Starship in 2023.^[113]

The company's long-term vision is the development of technology and resources suitable for human colonization on Mars.^[114] A rocket every two years or so could provide a base for the people arriving in 2025 after a launch in 2024.^[115]^[116] According to Steve Jurvetson, Musk believes that by 2035 at the latest, there will be thousands of rockets flying a million people to Mars, in order to enable a self-sustaining human colony.^[117]

Starlink

Starlink satellites passing overhead and visible with a naked eye. These satellites launched on 22 April 2020.

Starlink is a internet satellite constellation under development by SpaceX. The Internet service will use 4,425 cross-linked communications satellites in 1,100 km orbits. Owned and operated by SpaceX, the goal of the business is to increase profitability and cash flow, to allow SpaceX to build its Mars colony.^[118] Development began in 2015, initial prototype test-flight satellites were launched on the SpaceX Paz satellite mission in 2017. In May 2019 SpaceX launched the first batch of 60 satellites aboard a Falcon 9.^[119] By November 2020, SpaceX had launched 955 Starlink satellites. Initial test operation of the constellation began in late 2020.

In March 2017 SpaceX filed with the Federal Communications Commission plans to field a constellation of an additional 7,518 V-band satellites in non-geosynchronous orbits to provide communications services.^[120] In February 2019 SpaceX formed a sibling company, SpaceX Services, Inc., to license the manufacture and deployment of up to 1,000,000 fixed satellite Earth stations that will communicate with its Starlink system.^[121] The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) awarded SpaceX with nearly US$900 million worth of federal subsidies to support rural broadband customers through the company's Starlink satellite internet network. SpaceX won subsidies to bring service to customers in 35 U.S. states.^[122]

Other projects

In June 2015 SpaceX announced that they would sponsor a Hyperloop competition, and would build a 1.6 km (0.99 mi) long subscale test track near SpaceX's headquarters for the competitive events.^[123]^[124] The first competitive event was held at the track in January 2017, the second in August 2017 and the third in December 2018.^[125]^[126]^[127]

In collaboration with doctors and academic researchers SpaceX invited during 2020 all employees to participate in the creation of a COVID-19 antibody-testing program. As such 4300 employees volunteered to provide blood-samples resulting in a peer-reviewed scientific paper crediting eight SpaceX employees as coauthors and suggesting that a certain level of COVID-19 anti-bodies may provide lasting protection against the virus.^[128]^[129]

Facilities

SpaceX is headquartered in Hawthorne, California, which also serves as its primary manufacturing plant. The company operates a research and major operation in Redmond, Washington, owns a test site in Texas and operates three launch sites, with another under development. SpaceX also operates regional offices in Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.^[59] SpaceX was incorporated in the state of Delaware.^[130]

Headquarters, manufacturing, and refurbishment facilities

SpaceX Headquarters is located in the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne, California. The large three-story facility, originally built by Northrop Corporation to build Boeing 747 fuselages,^[131] houses SpaceX's office space, mission control, and, as of 2018, all operational launch vehicle manufacturing. Starship construction is in a new site in South Texas.^[132]

The area has one of the largest concentrations of aerospace headquarters, facilities, and/or subsidiaries in the U.S., including Boeing/McDonnell Douglas main satellite building campuses, Aerospace Corp., Raytheon, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, and AECOM, etc., with a large pool of aerospace engineers and recent college engineering graduates.^[131]

SpaceX utilizes a high degree of vertical integration in the production of its rockets and rocket engines.^[8] SpaceX builds its rocket engines, rocket stages, spacecraft, principal avionics and all software in-house in their Hawthorne facility, which is unusual for the aerospace industry. Nevertheless, SpaceX still has over 3,000 suppliers with some 1,100 of those delivering to SpaceX nearly weekly.^[133]

Development and test facilities

SpaceX operates its first Rocket Development and Test Facility in McGregor, Texas. All SpaceX rocket engines are tested on rocket test stands, and low-altitude VTVL flight testing of the Falcon 9 Grasshopper v1.0 and F9R Dev1 test vehicles in 2013–2014 were carried out at McGregor. Testing of the much larger Starship prototypes is conducted in the SpaceX South Texas launch site near Brownsville, Texas.^[132]

The company purchased the McGregor facilities from Beal Aerospace, where it refitted the largest test stand for Falcon 9 engine testing. SpaceX has made a number of improvements to the facility since purchase and has also extended the acreage by purchasing several pieces of adjacent farmland. In 2011 the company announced plans to upgrade the facility for launch testing a VTVL rocket,^[134] and then constructed a half-acre concrete launch facility in 2012 to support the Grasshopper test flight program.^[135] As of October 2012^[update], the McGregor facility had seven test stands that are operated "18 hours a day, six days a week"^[136] and is building more test stands because production is ramping up and the company has a large manifest in the next several years. In addition to routine testing, Dragon capsules (following recovery after an orbital mission), are shipped to McGregor for de-fueling, cleanup, and refurbishment for reuse in future missions.

Launch facilities

SpaceX currently operates three orbital launch sites, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and Kennedy Space Center, and is under construction on a fourth in Brownsville, Texas. SpaceX has indicated that they see a niche for each of the four orbital facilities and that they have sufficient launch business to fill each pad.^[137] The Vandenberg launch site enables highly inclined orbits (66–145°), while Cape Canaveral enables orbits of medium inclination (28.5–51.6°).^[138] Before it was retired, all Falcon 1 launches took place at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site on Omelek Island.

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) is used for Falcon 9 launches to low Earth and geostationary orbits. SLC-40 is not capable of supporting Falcon Heavy launches. As part of SpaceX's booster reusability program, the former Launch Complex 13 at Cape Canaveral, now renamed Landing Zone 1, has been designated for use for Falcon 9 first-stage booster landings.

Vandenberg Air Force Base

Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 (SLC-4E) is used for payloads to polar orbits. The Vandenberg site can launch both Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy,^[139] but cannot launch to low inclination orbits. The neighboring SLC-4W has been converted to Landing Zone 4, where SpaceX has successfully landed three Falcon 9 first-stage boosters, the first in October 2018.^[140]

Kennedy Space Center

On 14 April 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease for Launch Pad 39A.^[141] The pad was subsequently modified to support Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. SpaceX launched its first crewed mission to the ISS from Launch Pad 39A on 30 May 2020.^[142]

Boca Chica, Texas

The Starship assembly building under construction at Boca Chica in August 2020

In August 2014 SpaceX announced they would be building a commercial-only launch facility near Brownsville, Texas.^[143]^[144] The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the permit in July 2014.^[145] SpaceX started construction on the new launch facility in 2014 with production ramping up in the latter half of 2015,^[146] with the first suborbital launches from the facility in 2019.^[132]

Satellite prototyping facility

In January 2015 SpaceX announced it would be entering the satellite production business and global satellite internet business. The first satellite facility is a 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m²) office building located in Redmond, Washington. As of January 2017, a second facility in Redmond was acquired with 40,625 sq ft (3,774.2 m²) and has become a research and development laboratory for the satellites.^[147] In July 2016, SpaceX acquired an additional 8,000 sq ft (740 m²) creative space in Irvine, California (Orange County) to focus on satellite communications.^[148]^[149]

Launch contracts

SpaceX won demonstration and actual supply contracts from NASA for the International Space Station (ISS) with technology the company developed. SpaceX is also certified for U.S. military launches of Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle-class (EELV) payloads. With approximately 30 missions on the manifest for 2018 alone, SpaceX represents over US$12 billion under contract.^[59]

NASA

COTS

In 2006 NASA announced that SpaceX had won a NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Phase 1 contract to demonstrate cargo delivery to the International Space Station (ISS), with a possible contract option for crew transport.^[150] Through this contract, designed by NASA to provide "seed money" through Space Act Agreements for developing new capabilities, NASA paid SpaceX US$396 million to develop the cargo configuration of the Dragon spacecraft, while SpaceX self-invested more than US$500 million to develop the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.^[151] These Space Act Agreements have been shown to have saved NASA millions of dollars in development costs, making rocket development ~4–10 times cheaper than if produced by NASA alone.^[152]

In December 2010 the launch of the SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1 mission, SpaceX became the first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.^[153] Dragon successfully berthed with the ISS during SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2 in May 2012, a first for a private spacecraft.^[154]

Commercial cargo

Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) are a series of contracts awarded by NASA from 2008 to 2016 for delivery of cargo and supplies to the ISS on commercially operated spacecraft. The first CRS contracts were signed in 2008 and awarded US$1.6 billion to SpaceX for 12 cargo transport missions, covering deliveries to 2016.^[155] SpaceX CRS-1, the first of the 12 planned resupply missions, launched in October 2012, achieved orbit, berthed and remained on station for 20 days, before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.^[156] CRS missions have flown approximately twice a year to the ISS since then. In 2015, NASA extended the Phase 1 contracts by ordering an additional three resupply flights from SpaceX, for a total of 15 cargo transport.^[157]^[155] After further extensions late in 2015, SpaceX is currently scheduled to fly a total of 20 resupply missions.^[158] A second phase of contracts, known as CRS-2, were awarded in January 2016 for cargo transport flights beginning in 2019 and expected to last through 2024.

In March 2020 NASA contracted SpaceX to develop the Dragon XL spacecraft to send supplies to the Lunar Gateway space station. Dragon XL will be launched on a Falcon Heavy.^[159]

Commercial crew

SpaceX is responsible for transportation of NASA astronauts to and from the ISS. The NASA contracts started as part of the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program, aimed at developing commercially operated spacecraft capable of delivering astronauts to the ISS. The first contract was awarded to SpaceX in 2011,^[160]^[161] followed by another in 2012 to continue development and testing of its Dragon 2 spacecraft.^[162]

In September 2014 NASA chose SpaceX and Boeing as the two companies that would be funded to develop systems to transport U.S. crews to and from the ISS.^[163] SpaceX won US$2.6 billion to complete and certify Dragon 2 by 2017. The contracts include at least one crewed flight test with at least one NASA astronaut aboard. Once Crew Dragon achieves NASA certification, the contract requires SpaceX to conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station.^[163] SpaceX completed the first key flight test of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, a Pad Abort Test, in May 2015.^[164]

In early 2017 SpaceX was awarded four additional crewed missions to the ISS from NASA.^[165] In early 2019 SpaceX successfully conducted a full uncrewed test flight of Crew Dragon, which docked to the ISS and then splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.^[166] In January 2020 Crew Dragon test capsule successfully conducted the last major test before crewed flight, an In-Flight Abort Test.^[167]

On 30 May 2020 the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission was launched to the International Space Station with American astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. This was the first time a crewed vehicle had launched from the U.S. since 2011, and the first commercial crewed launch to the ISS.^[168] The Crew-1 mission was successfully launched to the International Space Station on 16 November 2020, with NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker along with JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi,^[169] all members of the Expedition 64 crew.^[170]

National defense

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 US$100 million worth of launches from the company.^[171] In April 2008, NASA announced that it had awarded an IDIQ Launch Services contract to SpaceX for up to US$1 billion, depending on the number of missions awarded. The contract covers launch services ordered by June 2010, for launches through December 2012.^[172] Musk stated in the same 2008 announcement that SpaceX has sold 14 contracts for flights on the various Falcon vehicles.^[172] In December 2012, SpaceX announced its first two launch contracts with the United States Department of Defense (DoD). The United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center awarded SpaceX two EELV-class missions: Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) and Space Test Program 2 (STP-2). DSCOVR was launched on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle in 2015, while STP-2 was launched on a Falcon Heavy on 25 June 2019.^[173]

In May 2015 the United States Air Force announced that the Falcon 9 v1.1 was certified for National Security Space Launch (NSSL), which allows SpaceX to contract launch services to the Air Force for any payloads classified under national security.^[174] This broke the monopoly held since 2006 by United Launch Alliance (ULA) over the U.S. Air Force launches of classified payloads.^[175] In April 2016 the U.S. Air Force awarded the first such national security launch to SpaceX to launch the 2nd GPS 3 satellite for US$82.7 million.^[176] This was approximately 40% less than the estimated cost for similar previous missions.^[177] SpaceX also launched the 3rd GPS 3 launch on 20 June 2020.^[178] In March 2018 SpaceX secured an additional US$290 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three GPS III satellites.^[179]

In 2016 the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) purchased launches from SpaceX, with the first taking place on 1 May 2017.^[180] In February 2019, SpaceX secured a US$297 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three national security missions, all slated to launch no earlier than FY 2021.^[181]

On 7 August 2020 the U.S. Space Force awarded its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) contracts for the following 5–7 years. SpaceX won a contract for US$316 million for one launch. In addition, SpaceX will handle 40% of the U.S. militaries satellite launch requirements over the period.^[182]

Space Adventures

In February 2020 Space Adventures announced plans to fly private citizens into orbit on Crew Dragon.^[183] The Crew Dragon vehicle would launch from LC-39A with up to four tourists on board, and spend up to five days in a low Earth orbit with an apogee of over 1,000 km (620 mi).^[184]

Criticism and controversies

Starlink

Signal pollution in a 333-second exposure image taken from the Blanco four-meter telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.

The planned large number of Starlink satellites has met with criticism from the astronomical community because of concerns for light pollution.^[185]^[186]^[187] Astronomers claim that the number of visible satellites will outnumber visible stars and that their brightness in both optical and radio wavelengths will severely impact scientific observations. Astronomers have raised concerns about the constellations’ effect on ground-based astronomy and how the satellites will add to an already jammed orbital environment. It ignited conversations about the ethics of a single company unilaterally changing the night sky’s appearance.^[188]

The large number of satellites employed by Starlink also creates a long-term danger of space debris resulting from placing thousands of satellites in orbit and the risk of causing a satellite collision, potentially triggering a phenomenon known as Kessler syndrome, which is a cascading collision effect between satellites and debris in Earth orbit that could cause all of the satellites to become inoperable.^[189]^[190]

Armenian protests against Turkish satellite launch

The Armenian community of Los Angeles County, California staged protests at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne in October 2020^[191] demanding the cancellation of Türksat 5A satellite launch on a Falcon 9 rocket. This was preceded by a mass email campaign to SpaceX staff and members of the media by concerned Armenians around the world, asking the company to cancel the launch contract with the Turkish government.^[192] The Armenians claimed that the satellite could be used by the Turkish government for military purposes, in view of Turkey's current provision of unmanned aerial vehicles to Azerbaijan in its armed conflict with Armenia involving the Nagorno-Karabakh region.^[193]

Launch market competition and pricing pressure

SpaceX's low launch prices, especially for communication satellites flying to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), have resulted in market pressure on its competitors to lower their own prices.^[8] Prior to 2013, the openly competed comsat launch market had been dominated by Arianespace (flying the Ariane 5) and International Launch Services (flying the Proton).^[194] With a published price of US$56.5 million per launch to low Earth orbit, Falcon 9 rockets were the cheapest in the industry.^[195] European satellite operators are pushing the European Space Agency (ESA) to reduce launch prices of the Ariane 5 and the future Ariane 6 rockets as a result of competition from SpaceX.^[196] In 2014 no commercial launches were booked to fly on the Russian Proton rocket.^[38]

SpaceX also put an end to the United Launch Alliance (ULA) monopoly of U.S. military payloads when it began to compete for national security 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.^[197] To that end, ULA announced a major restructuring of processes and workforce in order to decrease launch costs by half.^[198]^[199]

Congressional testimony by SpaceX in 2017 suggested that the NASA Space Act Agreement process of "setting only a high-level requirement for cargo transport to the space station [while] leaving the details to industry" had allowed SpaceX to design and develop the Falcon 9 rocket on its own at a substantially lower cost. According to NASA's own independently verified numbers, SpaceX's total development cost for both the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets was estimated at approximately US$390 million. In 2011 NASA estimated that it would have cost the agency about US$4 billion to develop a rocket like the Falcon 9 booster based upon NASA's traditional contracting processes, about ten times more.^[152]

In the first quarter of 2020, SpaceX launched over 61,000 kg (134,000 lb) of payload mass to orbit while all Chinese, European, and Russian launchers placed approximately 21,000 kg (46,000 lb), 16,000 kg (35,000 lb) and 13,000 kg (29,000 lb) in orbit, respectively, with all other launch providers launching approximately 15,000 kg (33,000 lb).^[200]

In May 2020 NASA's 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.^[201]

Board of directors

SpaceX board of directors as of January 2021^[202]
Joined Board	Name	Titles
2002^[203]	Elon Musk	Founder, Chairman, CEO and CTO of SpaceX; co-founder, CEO and Product Architect of Tesla; former Chairman of Tesla, Inc.; former Chairman of SolarCity^[203]
2002^[204]	Kimbal Musk	Board member, Tesla^[205]
2009^[206]	Gwynne Shotwell	President and COO of SpaceX^[207]
2009^[206]	Luke Nosek	Co-founder, PayPal^[208]
2009^[206]	Steve Jurvetson	Co-founder, Future Ventures fund^[209]
2010^[210]	Antonio Gracias	CEO and Chairman of the Investment Committee at Valor Equity Partners^[211]
2015^[212]	Donald Harrison	President of global partnerships and corporate development, Google^[213]

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External links

Quotations related to SpaceX at Wikiquote
Official website

[88] Excluding the passive objects launched as part of Project West Ford

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@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 SpaceX's achievements include the first privately funded [[liquid-propellant rocket]] to reach orbit ([[Falcon 1]] in 2008), the first private company to successfully launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft ([[SpaceX Dragon|Dragon]] in 2010), the first private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station (Dragon in 2012), the first [[VTVL|vertical take-off and vertical propulsive landing]] for an orbital rocket ([[Falcon 9]] in 2015), the first reuse of an orbital rocket (Falcon 9 in 2017), and the first private company to send astronauts to orbit and to the [[International Space Station]] ([[Crew Dragon Demo-2|SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2]] and [[SpaceX Crew-1]] missions in 2020). SpaceX has flown and reflown the Falcon 9 series of rockets [[List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches|over one hundred times]].
-SpaceX is developing a large internet satellite constellation named [[Starlink]]. In January 2020, the Starlink constellation became the largest satellite constellation in the world. SpaceX is also developing [[SpaceX Starship|Starship]], a privately funded [[super heavy-lift launch vehicle|super heavy-lift launch system]] for [[interplanetary spaceflight]]. Starship is intended to become the primary SpaceX orbital vehicle once operational, supplanting the existing Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon fleet. Starship will be fully reusable and will have the highest payload capacity of any orbital rocket ever on its debut, scheduled for the early 2020s.
+SpaceX is developing a large internet satellite constellation named [[Starlink]]. In January 2020 the Starlink constellation became the largest satellite constellation in the world. SpaceX is also developing [[SpaceX Starship|Starship]], a privately funded [[super heavy-lift launch vehicle|super heavy-lift launch system]] for [[interplanetary spaceflight]]. Starship is intended to become the primary SpaceX orbital vehicle once operational, supplanting the existing Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon fleet. Starship will be fully reusable and will have the highest payload capacity of any orbital rocket ever on its debut, scheduled for the early 2020s.
 == History ==
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 ===2001–2004: Founding===
-In 2001, [[Elon Musk]] conceptualized ''Mars Oasis'', a project to land a miniature experimental [[greenhouse]] and grow [[plant]]s on Mars. He announced that the project would be "the furthest that life's ever traveled" in an attempt to regain public interest in space exploration and increase the [[budget of NASA]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Miles O'Brien|date=June 1, 2012|title=Elon Musk Unedited |url=http://milesobrien.com/elon-musk-unedited/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323235120/http://milesobrien.com/elon-musk-unedited/|archive-date=March 23, 2017|access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=3698|title=Elon Musk, Life to Mars Foundation|author=John Carter McKnight|publisher=Space Frontier Foundation|date=September 25, 2001 |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref><ref name="spectrum">{{cite web|title=Risky Business|author=Elon Musk|date=May 30, 2009|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=IEEE Spectrum |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-flight/risky-business|archive-date=February 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223012225/http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-flight/risky-business|url-status=live}}</ref> Musk tried to purchase cheap rockets from [[Russia]] but returned empty-handed after failing to find rockets for an affordable price.<ref name="A&Ssmithsonian201201">{{cite web|url=http://www.airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-the-rocket-equation-132285884/?no-ist|title=Is SpaceX Changing the Rocket Equation?|author=Andrew Chaikin|date=January 2012|publisher=Air & Space Smithsonian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223105751/http://www.airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-the-rocket-equation-132285884/?no-ist|archive-date=February 23, 2017|url-status=dead |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-elon-musk-spacex/|title=Elon Musk's space dream almost killed Tesla|date=May 14, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=Bloomberg|author=Ashlee Vance|archive-date=February 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211071545/https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-elon-musk-spacex/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In 2001 [[Elon Musk]] conceptualized ''Mars Oasis'', a project to land a miniature experimental [[greenhouse]] and grow [[plant]]s on Mars. He announced that the project would be "the furthest that life's ever traveled" in an attempt to regain public interest in space exploration and increase the [[budget of NASA]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Miles O'Brien|date=June 1, 2012|title=Elon Musk Unedited |url=http://milesobrien.com/elon-musk-unedited/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323235120/http://milesobrien.com/elon-musk-unedited/|archive-date=March 23, 2017|access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=3698|title=Elon Musk, Life to Mars Foundation|author=John Carter McKnight|publisher=Space Frontier Foundation|date=September 25, 2001 |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref><ref name="spectrum">{{cite web|title=Risky Business|author=Elon Musk|date=May 30, 2009|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=IEEE Spectrum |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-flight/risky-business|archive-date=February 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223012225/http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-flight/risky-business|url-status=live}}</ref> Musk tried to purchase cheap rockets from [[Russia]] but returned empty-handed after failing to find rockets for an affordable price.<ref name="A&Ssmithsonian201201">{{cite web|url=http://www.airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-the-rocket-equation-132285884/?no-ist|title=Is SpaceX Changing the Rocket Equation?|author=Andrew Chaikin|date=January 2012|publisher=Air & Space Smithsonian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223105751/http://www.airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-the-rocket-equation-132285884/?no-ist|archive-date=February 23, 2017|url-status=dead |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-elon-musk-spacex/|title=Elon Musk's space dream almost killed Tesla|date=May 14, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=Bloomberg|author=Ashlee Vance|archive-date=February 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211071545/https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-elon-musk-spacex/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-On the flight home, Musk realized that he could start a company that could build the affordable rockets he needed.<ref name=":0"/> According to early [[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]] and SpaceX investor [[Steve Jurvetson]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jurvetson-spacex-elon-musk-2012-9|title=How Steve Jurvetson Saved Elon Musk|date=September 14, 2012|publisher=Business Insider|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=August 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804155803/http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jurvetson-spacex-elon-musk-2012-9|url-status=live}}</ref> Musk calculated that the raw materials for building a rocket were only 3% of the sales price of a rocket at the time. By applying [[vertical integration]],<ref name="A&Ssmithsonian201201"/> producing around 85% of launch hardware in-house,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://space-academy.grc.nasa.gov/y2011/tour-summaries/spacex/|title=SpaceX|publisher=NASA Space Academy at Glenn|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150608222521/https://space-academy.grc.nasa.gov/y2011/tour-summaries/spacex/|archive-date=June 8, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the modular approach of modern software engineering, Musk believed SpaceX could cut launch price by a factor of ten and still enjoy a 70% [[gross margin]].<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aXNWGwis4w |title=SpaceX and Daring to Think Big – Steve Jurvetson|date=January 28, 2015|publisher=YouTube|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
+On the flight home Musk realized that he could start a company that could build the affordable rockets he needed.<ref name=":0"/> According to early [[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]] and SpaceX investor [[Steve Jurvetson]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jurvetson-spacex-elon-musk-2012-9|title=How Steve Jurvetson Saved Elon Musk|date=September 14, 2012|publisher=Business Insider|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=August 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804155803/http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jurvetson-spacex-elon-musk-2012-9|url-status=live}}</ref> Musk calculated that the raw materials for building a rocket were only 3% of the sales price of a rocket at the time. By applying [[vertical integration]],<ref name="A&Ssmithsonian201201"/> producing around 85% of launch hardware in-house,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://space-academy.grc.nasa.gov/y2011/tour-summaries/spacex/|title=SpaceX|publisher=NASA Space Academy at Glenn|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150608222521/https://space-academy.grc.nasa.gov/y2011/tour-summaries/spacex/|archive-date=June 8, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the modular approach of modern software engineering, Musk believed SpaceX could cut launch price by a factor of ten and still enjoy a 70% [[gross margin]].<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aXNWGwis4w |title=SpaceX and Daring to Think Big – Steve Jurvetson|date=January 28, 2015|publisher=YouTube|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
-In early 2002, Musk started to look for staff for his new space company, soon to be named SpaceX. Musk approached rocket engineer [[Tom Mueller]] (later SpaceX's CTO of propulsion), and invited him to become his business partner. Mueller agreed to work for Musk, and thus SpaceX was born.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a5073/4328638/|title=Behind the Scenes With the World's Most Ambitious Rocket Makers|date=September 1, 2009|publisher=Popular Mechanics|author=Michael Belfiore|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=December 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213161703/http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a5073/4328638/|url-status=live}}</ref> SpaceX was first headquartered in a warehouse in [[El Segundo, California]]. By November 2005, the company had 160 employees.<ref name=avweek20200527>[https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/podcast-spacex-coo-prospects-starship-launcher Podcast: SpaceX COO On Prospects For Starship Launcher] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610030402/https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/podcast-spacex-coo-prospects-starship-launcher|date=June 10, 2020}} Aviation Week Irene Klotz, 27 May 2020, accessed 10 June 2020</ref>
+In early 2002 Musk started to look for staff for his new space company, soon to be named SpaceX. Musk approached rocket engineer [[Tom Mueller]] (later SpaceX's CTO of propulsion), and invited him to become his business partner. Mueller agreed to work for Musk, and thus SpaceX was born.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a5073/4328638/|title=Behind the Scenes With the World's Most Ambitious Rocket Makers|date=September 1, 2009|publisher=Popular Mechanics|author=Michael Belfiore|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=December 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213161703/http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a5073/4328638/|url-status=live}}</ref> SpaceX was first headquartered in a warehouse in [[El Segundo, California]]. By November 2005, the company had 160 employees.<ref name=avweek20200527>[https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/podcast-spacex-coo-prospects-starship-launcher Podcast: SpaceX COO On Prospects For Starship Launcher] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610030402/https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/podcast-spacex-coo-prospects-starship-launcher|date=June 10, 2020}} Aviation Week Irene Klotz, 27 May 2020, accessed 10 June 2020</ref>
 Musk has stated that one of his goals with SpaceX is to decrease the cost and improve the reliability of access to [[Outer space|space]], ultimately by a factor of ten.<ref>{{cite web|title=Space Exploration Technologies Corporation|url=http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20100616|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=December 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623215759/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20100616 |archive-date=June 23, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 {{cite web |title=Commercial Market Assessment for Crew and Cargo Systems |url=http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Section403(b)CommercialMarketAssessmentReportFinal.pdf |website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA |access-date=10 June 2015 |page=40 |date=27 April 2011 |quote=''SpaceX has publicly indicated that the development cost for Falcon 9 launch vehicle was approximately $300 million. Additionally, approximately $90 million was spent developing the Falcon 1 launch vehicle which did contribute to some extent to the Falcon 9, for a total of $390 million. NASA has verified these costs.''}}</ref>
-In 2005, SpaceX announced plans to pursue a human-rated commercial space program through the end of the decade, a program which would later become the Dragon spacecraft.<ref>{{cite web|title=Race for Next Space Prize Ignites|author=Michael Belfiore|date=January 18, 2005|url=https://www.wired.com/news/space/0%2C2697%2C66308%2C00.html|publisher=Wired|access-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012095048/https://www.wired.com/news/space/0%2C2697%2C66308%2C00.html|archive-date=October 12, 2008}}</ref>
+In 2005 SpaceX announced plans to pursue a human-rated commercial space program through the end of the decade, a program which would later become the Dragon spacecraft.<ref>{{cite web|title=Race for Next Space Prize Ignites|author=Michael Belfiore|date=January 18, 2005|url=https://www.wired.com/news/space/0%2C2697%2C66308%2C00.html|publisher=Wired|access-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012095048/https://www.wired.com/news/space/0%2C2697%2C66308%2C00.html|archive-date=October 12, 2008}}</ref>
-In 2006, NASA announced that the company was one of two selected to provide crew and cargo resupply demonstration contracts to the ISS under the COTS program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0608/18cots/|title=NASA selects crew, cargo launch partners|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=August 18, 2006|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=December 18, 2011|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/641FKAALF?url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0608/18cots/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In 2006 NASA announced that the company was one of two selected to provide crew and cargo resupply demonstration contracts to the ISS under the COTS program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0608/18cots/|title=NASA selects crew, cargo launch partners|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=August 18, 2006|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=December 18, 2011|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/641FKAALF?url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0608/18cots/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 The first two Falcon 1 launches were purchased by the [[United States Department of Defense]] under a program that evaluates new US launch vehicles suitable for use by [[DARPA]].<ref name=wired20070522/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.satnews.com/stories2007/4156/ |publisher=Satnews.com |title=Falcon 1 Reaches Space But Loses Control and is Destroyed on Re-Entry |date=21 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928204503/http://www.satnews.com/stories2007/4156/ |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref><ref>Graham Warwick and Guy Norris, "Blue Sky Thinking: DARPA at 50," ''Aviation Week & Space Technology,'' 18–25 Aug 2008, page 18.</ref>
@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 In April 2011, as part of its second-round [[Commercial Crew Development]] (CCDev) program, NASA issued a US$75 million contract for SpaceX to develop an integrated [[launch escape system]] for Dragon in preparation for human-rating it as a crew transport vehicle to the ISS.<ref name="sdc20110418">{{cite web|author=Denise Chow|title=Private Spaceship Builders Split Nearly $270 Million in NASA Funds |url=http://www.space.com/11421-nasa-private-spaceship-funding-astronauts.html|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=Space.com|date=April 18, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6415KG6df?url=http://www.space.com/11421-nasa-private-spaceship-funding-astronauts.html|archive-date=December 18, 2011}}</ref>
-In August 2012, NASA awarded SpaceX a firm, fixed-price [[Space Act Agreement]] (SAA) with the objective of producing a detailed design of the entire crew transportation system. This contract includes numerous key technical and certification milestones, an uncrewed flight test, a crewed flight test, and six operational missions following system certification.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |url=https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-115-SY16-WState-HKoenigsmann-20180117.pdf|title=Statement of Dr. Hans Koeningsmann Vice President, Build and Flight Reliability Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)|last=Koenigsmann|first=Hans|date=January 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923081317/https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-115-SY16-WState-HKoenigsmann-20180117.pdf|archive-date=September 23, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
+In August 2012 NASA awarded SpaceX a firm, fixed-price [[Space Act Agreement]] (SAA) with the objective of producing a detailed design of the entire crew transportation system. This contract includes numerous key technical and certification milestones, an uncrewed flight test, a crewed flight test, and six operational missions following system certification.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |url=https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-115-SY16-WState-HKoenigsmann-20180117.pdf|title=Statement of Dr. Hans Koeningsmann Vice President, Build and Flight Reliability Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)|last=Koenigsmann|first=Hans|date=January 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923081317/https://science.house.gov/sites/republicans.science.house.gov/files/documents/HHRG-115-SY16-WState-HKoenigsmann-20180117.pdf|archive-date=September 23, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
-In early 2012, approximately two-thirds of the company stock was owned by the founder Musk<ref>{{cite web|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/calebmelby/2012/03/12/how-elon-musk-became-a-billionaire-twice-over/|title=How Elon Musk Became A Billionaire Twice Over|date=March 12, 2012|author=Caleb Melby|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306042204/https://www.forbes.com/sites/calebmelby/2012/03/12/how-elon-musk-became-a-billionaire-twice-over/|url-status=live}}</ref> and his 70 million shares were then estimated to be worth US$875 million on [[Private equity|private markets]],<ref name="IPO">{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-02-09/musk-sees-good-chance-of-spacex-stock-offering-by-next-year|title=Elon Musk Anticipates Third IPO in Three Years With SpaceX|date=February 11, 2012|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=March 1, 2017|url-access=subscription|archive-date=July 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721114244/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-02-09/musk-sees-good-chance-of-spacex-stock-offering-by-next-year|url-status=live}}</ref> valuing SpaceX at US$1.3 billion.<ref name="cnbc20120427">{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/47207833|title=Elon Musk on Why SpaceX Has the Right Stuff to Win the Space Race|author=Jane Watts |date=April 27, 2012|publisher=CNBC|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=December 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216213440/http://www.cnbc.com/id/47207833|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In early 2012 approximately two-thirds of the company stock was owned by the founder Musk<ref>{{cite web|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/calebmelby/2012/03/12/how-elon-musk-became-a-billionaire-twice-over/|title=How Elon Musk Became A Billionaire Twice Over|date=March 12, 2012|author=Caleb Melby|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306042204/https://www.forbes.com/sites/calebmelby/2012/03/12/how-elon-musk-became-a-billionaire-twice-over/|url-status=live}}</ref> and his 70 million shares were then estimated to be worth US$875 million on [[Private equity|private markets]],<ref name="IPO">{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-02-09/musk-sees-good-chance-of-spacex-stock-offering-by-next-year|title=Elon Musk Anticipates Third IPO in Three Years With SpaceX|date=February 11, 2012|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=March 1, 2017|url-access=subscription|archive-date=July 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721114244/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-02-09/musk-sees-good-chance-of-spacex-stock-offering-by-next-year|url-status=live}}</ref> valuing SpaceX at US$1.3 billion.<ref name="cnbc20120427">{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/47207833|title=Elon Musk on Why SpaceX Has the Right Stuff to Win the Space Race|author=Jane Watts |date=April 27, 2012|publisher=CNBC|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=December 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216213440/http://www.cnbc.com/id/47207833|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In May 2012, with the [[Dragon C2+]] launch, Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.<ref name="cbcnews"/>
+In May 2012, with the [[Dragon C2+]] launch Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.<ref name="cbcnews"/>
 After the flight, the company private equity valuation nearly doubled to US$2.4 billion or US$20/share.<ref>{{cite web|website=privco.com|title=Privately-held SpaceX Worth Nearly $2.4 Billion or $20/Share, Double Its Pre-Mission Secondary Market Value Following Historic Success at the International Space Station|url=http://www.privco.com/privately-held-spacex-worth-nearly-5-billion-or-20-share-double-its-pre-mission-secondary-market-pricing-following-historic-success-at-the-international-space-station|date=June 7, 2012|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806214559/http://www.privco.com/privately-held-spacex-worth-nearly-5-billion-or-20-share-double-its-pre-mission-secondary-market-pricing-following-historic-success-at-the-international-space-station}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/06/07/privco-spacexs-worth-skyrockets-to-4-8-billion-after-successful-mission/|title=SpaceX's worth skyrockets to US$4.8 billion after successful mission|author=Ricardo Bilton|date=June 10, 2012|publisher=VentureBeat|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306125528/http://venturebeat.com/2012/06/07/privco-spacexs-worth-skyrockets-to-4-8-billion-after-successful-mission/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 By that time, SpaceX had operated on total funding of approximately US$1 billion over its first decade of operation. Of this, private equity provided approximately US$200 million, with Musk investing approximately US$100 million and other investors having put in about US$100 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX overview on secondmarket |publisher=SecondMarket|url=https://www.secondmarket.com/company/spacex|archive-url=https://archive.is/20121217191301/https://www.secondmarket.com/company/spacex|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 17, 2012}}</ref>
@@ Line 102: / Line 102: @@
 [[File:Dragon capsule and SpaceX employees (16491695667).jpg|thumb|Employees with the [[Dragon capsule]] at SpaceX HQ in [[Hawthorne, California]], February 2015]]
 SpaceX launched the first commercial mission for a private customer in 2013.
-In 2014, SpaceX won nine contracts out of the 20 that were openly competed worldwide.<ref name="sn20150112">{{cite web|author=Peter B. de Selding|title=Arianespace, SpaceX Battled to a Draw for 2014 Launch Contracts|url=http://spacenews.com/chart-arianespace-spacex-battled-to-a-draw-for-2014-launch-contracts/|publisher=SpaceNews|date=January 12, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190354/https://spacenews.com/chart-arianespace-spacex-battled-to-a-draw-for-2014-launch-contracts/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In 2014 SpaceX won nine contracts out of the 20 that were openly competed worldwide.<ref name="sn20150112">{{cite web|author=Peter B. de Selding|title=Arianespace, SpaceX Battled to a Draw for 2014 Launch Contracts|url=http://spacenews.com/chart-arianespace-spacex-battled-to-a-draw-for-2014-launch-contracts/|publisher=SpaceNews|date=January 12, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190354/https://spacenews.com/chart-arianespace-spacex-battled-to-a-draw-for-2014-launch-contracts/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-That year, Arianespace requested that European governments provide additional [[subsidy|subsidies]] to face the competition from SpaceX.<ref name="aw20140211">{{cite web|author=Amy Svitak|title=Arianespace To ESA: We Need Help |url=http://aviationweek.com/space/arianespace-esa-we-need-help|publisher=Aviation Week|date=February 11, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305200010/http://aviationweek.com/space/arianespace-esa-we-need-help|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="sn20140414">{{cite web|author=Peter B. de Selding|title=Satellite Operators Press ESA for Reduction in Ariane Launch Costs|url=http://spacenews.com/40193satellite-operators-press-esa-for-reduction-in-ariane-launch-costs/|publisher=SpaceNews|date=April 14, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190423/https://spacenews.com/40193satellite-operators-press-esa-for-reduction-in-ariane-launch-costs/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+That year Arianespace requested that European governments provide additional [[subsidy|subsidies]] to face the competition from SpaceX.<ref name="aw20140211">{{cite web|author=Amy Svitak|title=Arianespace To ESA: We Need Help |url=http://aviationweek.com/space/arianespace-esa-we-need-help|publisher=Aviation Week|date=February 11, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305200010/http://aviationweek.com/space/arianespace-esa-we-need-help|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="sn20140414">{{cite web|author=Peter B. de Selding|title=Satellite Operators Press ESA for Reduction in Ariane Launch Costs|url=http://spacenews.com/40193satellite-operators-press-esa-for-reduction-in-ariane-launch-costs/|publisher=SpaceNews|date=April 14, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190423/https://spacenews.com/40193satellite-operators-press-esa-for-reduction-in-ariane-launch-costs/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-From 2014, SpaceX capabilities and pricing also began to affect the market for launch of U.S. military payloads, which for nearly a decade was dominated by the large U.S. launch provider [[United Launch Alliance]] (ULA).<ref name="lat20141125">{{cite web|author=Melody Petersen|title=SpaceX may upset firm's monopoly in launching Air Force satellites|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-satellites-20141126-story.html#page=1|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=November 25, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=April 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421194744/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-satellites-20141126-story.html#page=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
+From 2014 SpaceX capabilities and pricing also began to affect the market for launch of U.S. military payloads, which for nearly a decade was dominated by the large U.S. launch provider [[United Launch Alliance]] (ULA).<ref name="lat20141125">{{cite web|author=Melody Petersen|title=SpaceX may upset firm's monopoly in launching Air Force satellites|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-satellites-20141126-story.html#page=1|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=November 25, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=April 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421194744/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-satellites-20141126-story.html#page=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
 The monopoly had allowed launch costs by the U.S. provider to rise to over US$400 million over the years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/06/air-force-budget-reveals-how-much-spacex-undercuts-launch-prices/|title=Air Force budget reveals how much SpaceX undercuts launch prices|publisher=Ars Technica|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=January 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117040352/https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/06/air-force-budget-reveals-how-much-spacex-undercuts-launch-prices/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In January 2015, SpaceX raised US$1 billion in funding from [[Google]] and [[Fidelity Ventures|Fidelity]], in exchange for 8.33% of the company, establishing the company valuation at approximately US$12 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spacenews.com/spacex-confirms-google-investment/|title=SpaceX Confirms Google Investment|date=January 20, 2015|author=Brian Berger |publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>
+In January 2015 SpaceX raised US$1 billion in funding from [[Google]] and [[Fidelity Ventures|Fidelity]], in exchange for 8.33% of the company, establishing the company valuation at approximately US$12 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spacenews.com/spacex-confirms-google-investment/|title=SpaceX Confirms Google Investment|date=January 20, 2015|author=Brian Berger |publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>
-The same month, SpaceX announced the development of a new satellite constellation, called [[Starlink]], to provide global broadband internet service. The following June, the company asked the federal government for permission to begin testing for the project, aiming to build a constellation of 4,425 satellites.<ref>{{cite web|author=Cecilia Kang, Christian Davenport|title=SpaceX founder files with government to provide Internet service from space |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/spacex-founder-files-with-government-to-provide-internet-service-from-space/2015/06/09/db8d8d02-0eb7-11e5-a0dc-2b6f404ff5cf_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=June 9, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223183501/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/spacex-founder-files-with-government-to-provide-internet-service-from-space/2015/06/09/db8d8d02-0eb7-11e5-a0dc-2b6f404ff5cf_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
+The same month SpaceX announced the development of a new satellite constellation, called [[Starlink]], to provide global broadband internet service. The following June, the company asked the federal government for permission to begin testing for the project, aiming to build a constellation of 4,425 satellites.<ref>{{cite web|author=Cecilia Kang, Christian Davenport|title=SpaceX founder files with government to provide Internet service from space |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/spacex-founder-files-with-government-to-provide-internet-service-from-space/2015/06/09/db8d8d02-0eb7-11e5-a0dc-2b6f404ff5cf_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=June 9, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223183501/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/spacex-founder-files-with-government-to-provide-internet-service-from-space/2015/06/09/db8d8d02-0eb7-11e5-a0dc-2b6f404ff5cf_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
 The Falcon 9 had its first major accident in late June 2015, when the seventh ISS resupply mission [[SpaceX CRS-7|CRS-7]] exploded after launch.<ref name="Stephen Clark for spaceflightnow.com">{{cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/07/20/support-strut-probable-cause-of-falcon-9-failure/|title=Support strut probable cause of Falcon 9 failure |date=July 20, 2015|publisher=Spaceflight Now|author=Stephen Clark|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217222505/http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/07/20/support-strut-probable-cause-of-falcon-9-failure/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The problem was discovered to be a failed 2-foot-long steel strut that held a [[helium]] [[pressure vessel]], which broke free due to the force of [[acceleration]]. This caused a breach and allowed high-pressure helium to escape into the low-pressure propellant tank, causing the failure.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-investigation-20160902-snap-story.html|title=SpaceX rocket exploded in an instant. Figuring out why involves a mountain of data |date=September 2, 2016|author=Samantha Masunaga and Melody Petersen|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219040426/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-investigation-20160902-snap-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
@@ Line 117: / Line 117: @@
 SpaceX first achieved a successful landing and recovery of a first stage in December 2015 with [[Falcon 9 Flight 20]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Elon Musk|title=Background on tonight's launch|url=http://www.spacex.com/news/2015/12/21/background-tonights-launch|publisher=SpaceX|date=December 21, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308172650/http://www.spacex.com/news/2015/12/21/background-tonights-launch|url-status=dead}}</ref>
-In April 2016, the company achieved the first successful landing on the autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) ''[[Of Course I Still Love You]]'' in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Robert |title=SpaceX rocket lands on drone ship |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/09/spacex-rocket-lands-on-drone-ship.html |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=CNBC |date=9 April 2016 |language=en}}</ref>
+In April 2016 the company achieved the first successful landing on the autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) ''[[Of Course I Still Love You]]'' in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Robert |title=SpaceX rocket lands on drone ship |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/09/spacex-rocket-lands-on-drone-ship.html |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=CNBC |date=9 April 2016 |language=en}}</ref>
 By October 2016, following the successful landings, SpaceX indicated they were offering their customers a 10% price discount if they choose to fly their payload on a reused Falcon 9 first stage.<ref name="sn20161005">{{cite web|author=Peter B. de Selding|url=http://spacenews.com/spacexs-shotwell-on-falcon-9-inquiry-discounts-for-reused-rockets-and-silicon-valleys-test-and-fail-ethos/|title=SpaceX's Shotwell on Falcon 9 inquiry, discounts for reused rockets and Silicon Valley's test-and-fail ethos|publisher=SpaceNews |date=October 5, 2016|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=April 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428201439/https://spacenews.com/spacexs-shotwell-on-falcon-9-inquiry-discounts-for-reused-rockets-and-silicon-valleys-test-and-fail-ethos/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In early September 2016, a Falcon 9 exploded during a propellant fill operation for a standard pre-launch [[static fire test]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/timeline/the-top-15-events-that-happened-in-space-in-2016/slide/10/|title=The top 15 events that happened in space in 2016|date=December 16, 2016|publisher=TechCrunch|vauthors=Calandrelli E, Escher A |access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220172657/https://techcrunch.com/timeline/the-top-15-events-that-happened-in-space-in-2016/slide/10/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In early September 2016 a Falcon 9 exploded during a propellant fill operation for a standard pre-launch [[static fire test]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/timeline/the-top-15-events-that-happened-in-space-in-2016/slide/10/|title=The top 15 events that happened in space in 2016|date=December 16, 2016|publisher=TechCrunch|vauthors=Calandrelli E, Escher A |access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220172657/https://techcrunch.com/timeline/the-top-15-events-that-happened-in-space-in-2016/slide/10/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 The payload, the [[Amos-6]] communications satellite valued at US$200 million, was destroyed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/go-for-launch/os-spacex-spacecom-answers-20160906-story.html |title=SpaceX customer vows to rebuild satellite in explosion aftermath|date=September 6, 2016|author=Marco Santana|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216160435/http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/go-for-launch/os-spacex-spacecom-answers-20160906-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The explosion was caused by the [[liquid oxygen]] that is used as propellant turning so cold that it solidified and ignited with [[Composite overwrapped pressure vessel|carbon composite]] helium vessels.<ref name=verge-sept-explod-cause>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/11/5/13533900/elon-musk-spacex-falcon-9-failure-cause-solved|title=Elon Musk says SpaceX finally knows what caused the latest rocket failure|date=November 5, 2016|author=Loren Grush|publisher=The Verge|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219013804/http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/5/13533900/elon-musk-spacex-falcon-9-failure-cause-solved|url-status=live}}</ref> Though not considered an unsuccessful flight, the rocket explosion sent the company into a four-month launch hiatus while it worked out what went wrong. SpaceX returned to flight in January 2017.<ref name="plarson">{{cite web |url=http://www.spacex.com/news/2016/09/01/anomaly-updates|title=Anomaly Updates|publisher=SpaceX|date=September 1, 2016|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216160231/http://www.spacex.com/news/2016/09/01/anomaly-updates|url-status=dead}}</ref>
-On 30 March 2017, SpaceX launched a returned Falcon 9 for the [[SES-10]] satellite. This was the first time a re-launch of a payload-carrying orbital rocket went back to space.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/03/30/elon-musks-spacex-makes-history-by-launching-a-flight-proven-rocket/|title=Elon Musk's SpaceX makes history by launching a 'flight-proven' rocket|work=The Washington Post|access-date=March 31, 2017|archive-date=March 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331015137/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/03/30/elon-musks-spacex-makes-history-by-launching-a-flight-proven-rocket/|url-status=live}}</ref> The first stage was recovered again, also making it the first landing of a reused orbital class rocket.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/spacex-successfully-launches-lands-recycled-falcon-9-rocket-n740226|title=SpaceX successfully launches, lands a recycled rocket.|work=NBC News|access-date=March 31, 2017|archive-date=March 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331004317/http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/spacex-successfully-launches-lands-recycled-falcon-9-rocket-n740226|url-status=live}}</ref>
+On 30 March 2017 SpaceX launched a returned Falcon 9 for the [[SES-10]] satellite. This was the first time a re-launch of a payload-carrying orbital rocket went back to space.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/03/30/elon-musks-spacex-makes-history-by-launching-a-flight-proven-rocket/|title=Elon Musk's SpaceX makes history by launching a 'flight-proven' rocket|work=The Washington Post|access-date=March 31, 2017|archive-date=March 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331015137/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/03/30/elon-musks-spacex-makes-history-by-launching-a-flight-proven-rocket/|url-status=live}}</ref> The first stage was recovered again, also making it the first landing of a reused orbital class rocket.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/spacex-successfully-launches-lands-recycled-falcon-9-rocket-n740226|title=SpaceX successfully launches, lands a recycled rocket.|work=NBC News|access-date=March 31, 2017|archive-date=March 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331004317/http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/spacex-successfully-launches-lands-recycled-falcon-9-rocket-n740226|url-status=live}}</ref>
 ===2017–2018: Leading global commercial launch provider===
-In July 2017, the Company raised US$350 million for a valuation of US$21 billion.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 27, 2017|title=SpaceX Is Now One of the World's Most Valuable Privately Held Companies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/technology/spacex-is-now-one-of-the-worlds-most-valuable-privately-held-companies.html/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129115140/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/technology/spacex-is-now-one-of-the-worlds-most-valuable-privately-held-companies.html|archive-date=November 29, 2017|access-date=November 16, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>
+In July 2017 the Company raised US$350 million for a valuation of US$21 billion.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 27, 2017|title=SpaceX Is Now One of the World's Most Valuable Privately Held Companies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/technology/spacex-is-now-one-of-the-worlds-most-valuable-privately-held-companies.html/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129115140/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/technology/spacex-is-now-one-of-the-worlds-most-valuable-privately-held-companies.html|archive-date=November 29, 2017|access-date=November 16, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>
-In 2017, SpaceX achieved a 45% global market share for awarded commercial launch contracts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/07/as-the-spacex-steamroller-surges-european-rocket-industry-vows-to-resist/?amp=1|title=As the SpaceX steamroller surges, European rocket industry vows to resist|date=July 20, 2018|access-date=July 21, 2018|archive-date=July 20, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180720141110/https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/07/as-the-spacex-steamroller-surges-european-rocket-industry-vows-to-resist/?amp=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In 2017 SpaceX achieved a 45% global market share for awarded commercial launch contracts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/07/as-the-spacex-steamroller-surges-european-rocket-industry-vows-to-resist/?amp=1|title=As the SpaceX steamroller surges, European rocket industry vows to resist|date=July 20, 2018|access-date=July 21, 2018|archive-date=July 20, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180720141110/https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/07/as-the-spacex-steamroller-surges-european-rocket-industry-vows-to-resist/?amp=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
 By March 2018, SpaceX had over 100 launches on its manifest representing about US$12 billion in contract revenue.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spacex.com/about|title=Company|last=spacexcmsadmin |date=November 27, 2012|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=February 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222061801/http://www.spacex.com/about|url-status=dead}}</ref> The contracts included both commercial and [[Federal government of the United States|government]] (NASA/DOD) customers.<ref name="about"/> This made SpaceX the leading global commercial launch provider measured by manifested launches.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |url=https://www.hq.nasa.gov/legislative/hearings/7-13-17%20HUGHES.pdf|title=Statement of Tim Hughes Senior Vice President for Global Business and Government Affairs Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)|last=Hughes|first=Tim|date=July 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023122656/https://www.hq.nasa.gov/legislative/hearings/7-13-17%20HUGHES.pdf|archive-date=October 23, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
-In 2017, SpaceX formed a [[subsidiary]], [[The Boring Company]],<ref name=hawthore20180911>[http://hawthorne-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=490&meta_id=35783 Agenda Item No. 9, City of Hawthorne City Council, Agenda Bill], September 11, 2018, Planning and Community Development Department, City of Hawthorne, Accessed September 13, 2018</ref> and began work to construct a short test tunnel on and adjacent to the SpaceX headquarters and manufacturing facility, utilizing a small number of SpaceX employees,<ref name=lat20171121>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-elon-musk-boring-company-20171121-story.html|title=Elon Musk's tunneling company wants to dig through L.A.|first=Laura J.|last=Nelson|website=latimes.com|date=November 21, 2017|access-date=September 13, 2018|archive-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084136/http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-elon-musk-boring-company-20171121-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> which was completed in May 2018,<ref name=bi20180511>[http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-posts-video-of-la-boring-company-tunnels-says-opening-soon-2018-5 Elon Musk posted a video of his Boring Company tunnels under L.A., saying people can use them 'in a few months' for free] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511180503/https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-posts-video-of-la-boring-company-tunnels-says-opening-soon-2018-5|date=May 11, 2018}} Business Insider, 11 May 2018, accessed 20 May 2018</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/05/11/elon-musk-la-traffic-tunnel-nearly-complete/ |title=Nothing "Boring" About Elon Musk's Newly Revealed Underground Tunnel|date=May 11, 2018|website=cbslocal.com|access-date=February 2, 2019|archive-date=December 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203163806/https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/05/11/elon-musk-la-traffic-tunnel-nearly-complete/|url-status=live}}</ref> and opened to the public in December 2018.<ref name=wsj20181217/> During 2018, The Boring Company was [[Spin-out|spun out]] into a separate [[corporate entity]] with 6% of the equity going to SpaceX, less than 10% to early employees, and the remainder of the equity to Elon Musk.<ref name=wsj20181217>{{cite news|last=Copeland|first=Rob|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-new-boring-co-faced-questions-over-spacex-financial-ties-11545078371|title=Elon Musk's New Boring Co. Faced Questions Over SpaceX Financial Ties|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=December 17, 2018|access-date=December 18, 2018|quote=''When the Boring Co. was earlier this year spun into its own firm, more than 90% of the equity went to Mr. Musk and the rest to early employees... The Boring Co. has since given some equity to SpaceX as compensation for the help... about 6% of Boring stock, "based on the value of land, time and other resources contributed since the creation of the company".''|archive-date=December 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218044810/https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-new-boring-co-faced-questions-over-spacex-financial-ties-11545078371|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In 2017 SpaceX formed a [[subsidiary]], [[The Boring Company]],<ref name=hawthore20180911>[http://hawthorne-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=490&meta_id=35783 Agenda Item No. 9, City of Hawthorne City Council, Agenda Bill], September 11, 2018, Planning and Community Development Department, City of Hawthorne, Accessed September 13, 2018</ref> and began work to construct a short test tunnel on and adjacent to the SpaceX headquarters and manufacturing facility, utilizing a small number of SpaceX employees,<ref name=lat20171121>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-elon-musk-boring-company-20171121-story.html|title=Elon Musk's tunneling company wants to dig through L.A.|first=Laura J.|last=Nelson|website=latimes.com|date=November 21, 2017|access-date=September 13, 2018|archive-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084136/http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-elon-musk-boring-company-20171121-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> which was completed in May 2018,<ref name=bi20180511>[http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-posts-video-of-la-boring-company-tunnels-says-opening-soon-2018-5 Elon Musk posted a video of his Boring Company tunnels under L.A., saying people can use them 'in a few months' for free] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511180503/https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-posts-video-of-la-boring-company-tunnels-says-opening-soon-2018-5|date=May 11, 2018}} Business Insider, 11 May 2018, accessed 20 May 2018</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/05/11/elon-musk-la-traffic-tunnel-nearly-complete/ |title=Nothing "Boring" About Elon Musk's Newly Revealed Underground Tunnel|date=May 11, 2018|website=cbslocal.com|access-date=February 2, 2019|archive-date=December 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203163806/https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/05/11/elon-musk-la-traffic-tunnel-nearly-complete/|url-status=live}}</ref> and opened to the public in December 2018.<ref name=wsj20181217/> During 2018, The Boring Company was [[Spin-out|spun out]] into a separate [[corporate entity]] with 6% of the equity going to SpaceX, less than 10% to early employees, and the remainder of the equity to Elon Musk.<ref name=wsj20181217>{{cite news|last=Copeland|first=Rob|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-new-boring-co-faced-questions-over-spacex-financial-ties-11545078371|title=Elon Musk's New Boring Co. Faced Questions Over SpaceX Financial Ties|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=December 17, 2018|access-date=December 18, 2018|quote=''When the Boring Co. was earlier this year spun into its own firm, more than 90% of the equity went to Mr. Musk and the rest to early employees... The Boring Co. has since given some equity to SpaceX as compensation for the help... about 6% of Boring stock, "based on the value of land, time and other resources contributed since the creation of the company".''|archive-date=December 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218044810/https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-new-boring-co-faced-questions-over-spacex-financial-ties-11545078371|url-status=live}}</ref>
 {{Image frame
@@ Line 146: / Line 146: @@
 ===2019–present: Starship, Starlink, and first crewed launches ===
-On 11 January 2019, SpaceX announced it would lay off 10% of its workforce in order to help finance the Starship and Starlink projects.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/11/tech/spacex-layoffs/index.html|title=SpaceX to lay off 10% of its workers|last=Wattles|first=Jackie|date=January 11, 2019|publisher=CNN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716164723/https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/11/tech/spacex-layoffs/index.html|archive-date=July 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
+On 11 January 2019 SpaceX announced it would lay off 10% of its workforce in order to help finance the Starship and Starlink projects.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/11/tech/spacex-layoffs/index.html|title=SpaceX to lay off 10% of its workers|last=Wattles|first=Jackie|date=January 11, 2019|publisher=CNN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716164723/https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/11/tech/spacex-layoffs/index.html|archive-date=July 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
 Musk had announced his plans to build large spaceships to reach Mars already at the [[International Astronautical Congress]] (IAC) of 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-mars-iac-2017-transcript-slides-2017-10#-5|title=SpaceX has published Elon Musk's presentation about colonizing Mars – here's the full transcript and slides|publisher=Business Insider|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=March 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330014358/http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-mars-iac-2017-transcript-slides-2017-10#-5|url-status=live}}</ref>
 Construction of initial prototypes and tests for Starship started in early 2019 in Florida and Texas. All Starship construction and testing moved to the new [[SpaceX South Texas launch site]] later that year.
@@ Line 152: / Line 152: @@
 SpaceX raised a total of US$1.33 billion of capital across three funding rounds in 2019.<ref name=cnbc20200221>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/21/spacex-raising-250-million-elon-musks-company-valuation-36-billion.html|title=SpaceX is looking to raise about $250 million, valuing Elon Musk's space company at $36 billion|last=Sheetz|first=Michael|publisher=CNBC|date=February 21, 2020|access-date=May 15, 2020|archive-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529204116/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/21/spacex-raising-250-million-elon-musks-company-valuation-36-billion.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
-By May 2019, the valuation of SpaceX had risen to US$33.3 billion<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/31/spacex-valuation-33point3-billion-after-starlink-satellites-fundraising.html|title=SpaceX valuation rises to $33.3 billion as investors look to satellite opportunity|publisher=CNBC|date=May 31, 2019|access-date=June 17, 2019|archive-date=June 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611234718/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/31/spacex-valuation-33point3-billion-after-starlink-satellites-fundraising.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and reached US$36 billion by March 2020.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cao|first1=Sissi |title=As SpaceX Reaches $36 Billion Valuation, Elon Musk Clarifies Starlink IPO Rumors|url=https://observer.com/2020/03/spacex-elon-musk-clarify-starlink-ipo-plan/|publisher=Observer|access-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-date=June 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617193654/https://observer.com/2020/03/spacex-elon-musk-clarify-starlink-ipo-plan/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+By May 2019 the valuation of SpaceX had risen to US$33.3 billion<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/31/spacex-valuation-33point3-billion-after-starlink-satellites-fundraising.html|title=SpaceX valuation rises to $33.3 billion as investors look to satellite opportunity|publisher=CNBC|date=May 31, 2019|access-date=June 17, 2019|archive-date=June 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611234718/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/31/spacex-valuation-33point3-billion-after-starlink-satellites-fundraising.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and reached US$36 billion by March 2020.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cao|first1=Sissi |title=As SpaceX Reaches $36 Billion Valuation, Elon Musk Clarifies Starlink IPO Rumors|url=https://observer.com/2020/03/spacex-elon-musk-clarify-starlink-ipo-plan/|publisher=Observer|access-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-date=June 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617193654/https://observer.com/2020/03/spacex-elon-musk-clarify-starlink-ipo-plan/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-On 30 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]], making SpaceX the first private company to send astronauts to the [[International Space Station]] and marking the first crewed launch from American soil in 9 years.<ref name="NYT-20200530">{{cite news|title=SpaceX Lifts NASA Astronauts to Orbit, Launching New Era of Spaceflight - The trip to the space station was the first from American soil since 2011 when the space shuttles were retired|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/science/spacex-nasa-astronauts.html|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Chang|first=Kenneth|date=May 30, 2020|access-date=May 31, 2020|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810172446/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/science/spacex-nasa-astronauts.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CNN-20200530">{{cite news|last=Wattles|first=Jackie |title=SpaceX Falcon 9 launches two NASA astronauts into the space CNN|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/30/tech/spacex-nasa-launch-astronauts-scn/index.html|date=May 30, 2020|publisher=CNN|access-date=May 31, 2020|archive-date=May 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531001954/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/30/tech/spacex-nasa-launch-astronauts-scn/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The mission launched from [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A]] (LC-39A) of the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in [[Florida]].<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX-NASA Dragon Demo-2 launch: All your questions answered |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-crew-dragon-demo-2-mission-nasa-spacex-is-important-and-how-it-will-take-place-6434723/|website=indianexpress.com|access-date=2020-06-02|archive-date=June 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603035924/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-crew-dragon-demo-2-mission-nasa-spacex-is-important-and-how-it-will-take-place-6434723/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+On 30 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]], making SpaceX the first private company to send astronauts to the [[International Space Station]] and marking the first crewed launch from American soil in 9 years.<ref name="NYT-20200530">{{cite news|title=SpaceX Lifts NASA Astronauts to Orbit, Launching New Era of Spaceflight - The trip to the space station was the first from American soil since 2011 when the space shuttles were retired|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/science/spacex-nasa-astronauts.html|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Chang|first=Kenneth|date=May 30, 2020|access-date=May 31, 2020|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810172446/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/science/spacex-nasa-astronauts.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CNN-20200530">{{cite news|last=Wattles|first=Jackie |title=SpaceX Falcon 9 launches two NASA astronauts into the space CNN|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/30/tech/spacex-nasa-launch-astronauts-scn/index.html|date=May 30, 2020|publisher=CNN|access-date=May 31, 2020|archive-date=May 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531001954/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/30/tech/spacex-nasa-launch-astronauts-scn/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The mission launched from [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A]] (LC-39A) of the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in [[Florida]].<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX-NASA Dragon Demo-2 launch: All your questions answered |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-crew-dragon-demo-2-mission-nasa-spacex-is-important-and-how-it-will-take-place-6434723/|website=indianexpress.com|access-date=2020-06-02|archive-date=June 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603035924/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-crew-dragon-demo-2-mission-nasa-spacex-is-important-and-how-it-will-take-place-6434723/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 On 19 August 2020, after a US$1.9 billion funding round, one of the largest single fundraising pushes by any privately held company, SpaceX's valuation increased to US$46 billion.<ref>{{cite web|title=Elon Musk's SpaceX raises $1.9 billion in funding|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-funding-idUSKCN25E26E|work=Reuters|access-date=20 August 2020|archive-date=August 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820203147/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-funding-idUSKCN25E26E|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Wattles|first1=Jackie|title=SpaceX is now a $46 billion 'unicorn'|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/19/tech/spacex-valuation-46-billion-scn/index.html|publisher=CNN Business|access-date=20 August 2020|archive-date=August 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201149/https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/19/tech/spacex-valuation-46-billion-scn/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=cnbc20210216/>
-In February 2021, SpaceX raised an additional {{USD|850 million}} in an equity round at approximately $420 per share, raising the company valuation to about {{USD|74 billion}}.<ref name=cnbc20210216>{{cite news |title=Elon Musk's SpaceX raised $850 million, jumping valuation to about $74 billion |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/16/elon-musks-spacex-raised-850-million-at-419point99-a-share.html |last=Sheetz|first=Michael |work=[[CNBC]] |date=16 February 2021 |access-date=17 February 2021 }}</ref>
+In February 2021 SpaceX raised an additional {{USD|850 million}} in an equity round at approximately $420 per share, raising the company valuation to about {{USD|74 billion}}.<ref name=cnbc20210216>{{cite news |title=Elon Musk's SpaceX raised $850 million, jumping valuation to about $74 billion |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/16/elon-musks-spacex-raised-850-million-at-419point99-a-share.html |last=Sheetz|first=Michael |work=[[CNBC]] |date=16 February 2021 |access-date=17 February 2021 }}</ref>
 === Summary of achievements ===
@@ Line 263: / Line 263: @@
 [[File:SpaceX Testing Merlin 1D Engine In Texas.jpg|thumb|The [[Merlin (rocket engine family)#Merlin 1D|Merlin 1D]] engine, SpaceX's most numerous engine, undergoing testing at SpaceX's Rocket Development and Test Facility in [[McGregor, Texas]].]]
-Since the founding of SpaceX in 2002, the company has developed four families of [[rocket engine]]s — [[SpaceX Merlin|Merlin]], [[SpaceX Raptor|Raptor]], and the retired [[SpaceX Kestrel|Kestrel]] for [[launch vehicle]] propulsion, and the [[SpaceX Draco|Draco]] control thrusters.
+Since the founding of SpaceX in 2002 the company has developed four families of [[rocket engine]]s — [[SpaceX Merlin|Merlin]], [[SpaceX Raptor|Raptor]], and the retired [[SpaceX Kestrel|Kestrel]] for [[launch vehicle]] propulsion, and the [[SpaceX Draco|Draco]] control thrusters.
 Merlin is a family of rocket engines that uses [[liquid oxygen]] (LOX) and [[RP-1]] as propellants in a gas-generator power cycle. The Merlin engine was originally designed for sea recovery and reuse. The injector at the heart of Merlin is of the [[pintle injector|pintle]] type that was first used in the [[Apollo Program]] for the lunar module landing engine. Propellants are fed via a single shaft, dual impeller [[turbo-pump]].
 Kestrel is a LOX/RP-1 [[Pressure-fed engine (rocket)|pressure-fed]] rocket engine and was used as the Falcon 1 rocket's second stage main engine. It is built around the same pintle architecture as SpaceX's Merlin engine but does not have a [[turbo-pump]], and is fed only by tank pressure. Its nozzle is [[Ablative cooling|ablatively cooled]] in the chamber and throat, is also [[radiative cooling|radiatively cooled]], and is fabricated from a high strength [[niobium]] alloy. Both names for the [[SpaceX Merlin|Merlin]] and [[SpaceX Kestrel|Kestrel]] engines are derived from species of North American falcons: the [[American kestrel]] and the [[merlin (bird)|merlin]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/35774-elon-musk-names-spacex|title=Tesla, Falcon 9, Heart of Gold: How Elon Musk Names His Inventions|first=Alasdair|last=Wilkins|website=inverse.com|access-date=February 2, 2019|archive-date=February 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202160422/https://www.inverse.com/article/35774-elon-musk-names-spacex|url-status=live}}</ref>
@@ Line 278: / Line 278: @@
 The Dragon is a spacecraft design to carry cargo or up to seven astronauts into orbit, dock to the ISS, and safely return to Earth. The [[SpaceX Dragon|first version of Dragon]], used only for cargo, was first launched in 2010. The currently operational second generation Dragon spacecraft, also known as [[SpaceX Dragon 2|Dragon 2]], had its first flight to the ISS in early 2019.
-On 27 March 2020, SpaceX revealed the Dragon XL resupply spacecraft to carry pressurized and unpressurized cargo, experiments and other supplies to NASA's planned [[Lunar Gateway|Gateway]] under a [[Gateway Logistics Services]] (GLS) contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-artemis-contract-for-gateway-logistics-services|title=NASA Awards Artemis Contract for Gateway Logistics Services|last=Potter|first=Sean|date=March 27, 2020|publisher=NASA|access-date=March 28, 2020|archive-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327195418/https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-artemis-contract-for-gateway-logistics-services|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> The equipment delivered by Dragon XL missions could include sample collection materials, spacesuits and other items astronauts may need on the Gateway and on the surface of the [[Moon]], according to [[NASA]]. It will launch on SpaceX [[Falcon Heavy]] rockets from pad 39A at the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in [[Florida]]. The Dragon XL will stay at the Gateway for six to 12 months at a time, when research payloads inside and outside the cargo vessel could be operated remotely, even when crews are not present.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Stephen|last1=Clark|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=March 28, 2020|title=NASA picks SpaceX to deliver cargo to Gateway station in lunar orbit |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-to-deliver-cargo-to-gateway-station-in-lunar-orbit/|archive-date=March 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328020010/https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-to-deliver-cargo-to-gateway-station-in-lunar-orbit/|url-status=live}}</ref> Its payload capacity is expected to be more than {{cvt|5|t|kg lb}} to lunar orbit.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=March 28, 2020|title=Dragon XL revealed as NASA ties SpaceX to Lunar Gateway supply contract |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/03/dragon-xl-nasa-spacex-lunar-gateway-supply-contract/|date=March 27, 2020|archive-date=March 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328020206/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/03/dragon-xl-nasa-spacex-lunar-gateway-supply-contract/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+On 27 March 2020 SpaceX revealed the Dragon XL resupply spacecraft to carry pressurized and unpressurized cargo, experiments and other supplies to NASA's planned [[Lunar Gateway|Gateway]] under a [[Gateway Logistics Services]] (GLS) contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-artemis-contract-for-gateway-logistics-services|title=NASA Awards Artemis Contract for Gateway Logistics Services|last=Potter|first=Sean|date=March 27, 2020|publisher=NASA|access-date=March 28, 2020|archive-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327195418/https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-artemis-contract-for-gateway-logistics-services|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> The equipment delivered by Dragon XL missions could include sample collection materials, spacesuits and other items astronauts may need on the Gateway and on the surface of the [[Moon]], according to [[NASA]]. It will launch on SpaceX [[Falcon Heavy]] rockets from pad 39A at the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in [[Florida]]. The Dragon XL will stay at the Gateway for six to 12 months at a time, when research payloads inside and outside the cargo vessel could be operated remotely, even when crews are not present.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Stephen|last1=Clark|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=March 28, 2020|title=NASA picks SpaceX to deliver cargo to Gateway station in lunar orbit |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-to-deliver-cargo-to-gateway-station-in-lunar-orbit/|archive-date=March 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328020010/https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-to-deliver-cargo-to-gateway-station-in-lunar-orbit/|url-status=live}}</ref> Its payload capacity is expected to be more than {{cvt|5|t|kg lb}} to lunar orbit.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=March 28, 2020|title=Dragon XL revealed as NASA ties SpaceX to Lunar Gateway supply contract |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/03/dragon-xl-nasa-spacex-lunar-gateway-supply-contract/|date=March 27, 2020|archive-date=March 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328020206/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/03/dragon-xl-nasa-spacex-lunar-gateway-supply-contract/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-On 7 December 2020, SpaceX launched new cargo Dragon to Space Station for 100th successful Falcon 9 flight. This is the first launch for this redesigned cargo Dragon, and also the first mission for SpaceX's new series of CRS missions under a renewed contract with NASA. It is carrying {{cvt|6400|lb}} of both supplies for the Space Station and its crew, as well as experimental supplies and equipments for the research being done on the Station. This version of Dragon can carry 20% more than the last cargo spacecraft from SpaceX, and it also has twice the number of powered lockers for climate controlled transportation of experimental material.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX launches new cargo Dragon to Space Station for 100th successful Falcon 9 flight|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2020/12/06/spacex-launches-new-cargo-dragon-to-space-station-for-100th-successful-falcon-9-flight/|access-date=2020-12-07|publisher=TechCrunch}}</ref>
+On 7 December 2020 SpaceX launched new cargo Dragon to Space Station for 100th successful Falcon 9 flight. This is the first launch for this redesigned cargo Dragon, and also the first mission for SpaceX's new series of CRS missions under a renewed contract with NASA. It is carrying {{cvt|6400|lb}} of both supplies for the Space Station and its crew, as well as experimental supplies and equipments for the research being done on the Station. This version of Dragon can carry 20% more than the last cargo spacecraft from SpaceX, and it also has twice the number of powered lockers for climate controlled transportation of experimental material.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX launches new cargo Dragon to Space Station for 100th successful Falcon 9 flight|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2020/12/06/spacex-launches-new-cargo-dragon-to-space-station-for-100th-successful-falcon-9-flight/|access-date=2020-12-07|publisher=TechCrunch}}</ref>
 === Autonomous spaceport drone ships ===
@@ Line 298: / Line 298: @@
 The Starship system comprises a reusable first stage, called Super Heavy, and a reusable second stage and space vehicle. The system is intended to replace all of the company's existing launch vehicle hardware by the early 2020s.<ref name=nsf20170929>{{cite news|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/09/the-moon-mars-earth-musk-updates-bfr-plans/|title=The Moon, Mars, and around the Earth – Musk updates BFR architecture, plans|author=Chris Gebhardt|date=September 29, 2017|access-date=May 16, 2020|archive-date=October 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001081759/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/09/the-moon-mars-earth-musk-updates-bfr-plans/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-announces-first-moon-passenger-yusaku-maezawa-elon-musk/|title=Elon Musk says moon mission is "dangerous" but SpaceX's first passenger isn't scared|website=cbsnews.com|access-date=February 2, 2019|archive-date=November 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127031540/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-announces-first-moon-passenger-yusaku-maezawa-elon-musk/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-SpaceX initially envisioned a 12-meter-diameter ITS concept in 2016 which was solely aimed at Mars transit and other interplanetary uses. In 2017, SpaceX articulated a smaller 9-meter-diameter BFR to replace all of SpaceX launch service provider capabilities — Earth-orbit, lunar-orbit, interplanetary missions, and potentially, even intercontinental passenger transport on Earth — but do so on a fully reusable set of vehicles with a markedly lower cost structure.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/29/space-x-mars-bfr-elon-musk/|title=Elon Musk's Mars dream hinges on a giant new rocket|publisher=Engadget |access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=March 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302123318/https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/29/space-x-mars-bfr-elon-musk/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+SpaceX initially envisioned a 12-meter-diameter ITS concept in 2016 which was solely aimed at Mars transit and other interplanetary uses. In 2017 SpaceX articulated a smaller 9-meter-diameter BFR to replace all of SpaceX launch service provider capabilities — Earth-orbit, lunar-orbit, interplanetary missions, and potentially, even intercontinental passenger transport on Earth — but do so on a fully reusable set of vehicles with a markedly lower cost structure.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/29/space-x-mars-bfr-elon-musk/|title=Elon Musk's Mars dream hinges on a giant new rocket|publisher=Engadget |access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=March 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302123318/https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/29/space-x-mars-bfr-elon-musk/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 A large portion of the components on Starship are made of 301 [[stainless steel]], with some being manufactured from 304L stainless steel.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Berger |first1=Eric |title=Rocket Report: Delta IV Heavy gets a new date, SpaceX to destroy test tank |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/09/rocket-report-delta-iv-heavy-gets-a-new-date-spacex-to-destroy-test-tank/ |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=Ars Technica |date=11 September 2020 |language=en-us}}</ref>
 Private passenger [[Yusaku Maezawa]] has contracted to [[circumlunar trajectory|fly around the Moon]] in Starship in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-reveals-mystery-moon-passenger-yusaku-maezawa-hes-a-billionaire/|title=SpaceX reveals mystery moon passenger, and he's a billionaire|publisher=CNET|access-date=September 18, 2018|archive-date=September 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918040707/https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-reveals-mystery-moon-passenger-yusaku-maezawa-hes-a-billionaire/|url-status=live}}</ref>
@@ Line 313: / Line 313: @@
 The Internet service will use 4,425 cross-linked [[communications satellite]]s in 1,100&nbsp;km orbits. Owned and operated by SpaceX, the goal of the business is to increase profitability and cash flow, to allow SpaceX to build its Mars colony.<ref name="sn20150119">{{cite web|url=http://spacenews.com/spacex-opening-seattle-plant-to-build-4000-broadband-satellites/|title=SpaceX To Build 4,425 Broadband Satellites in Seattle|author=Peter B. de Selding|date=January 19, 2015|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-date=July 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728141217/https://spacenews.com/spacex-opening-seattle-plant-to-build-4000-broadband-satellites/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 Development began in 2015, initial prototype [[flight test|test-flight]] satellites were launched on the SpaceX [[Paz (satellite)|Paz satellite]] mission in 2017.
-In May 2019, SpaceX launched the first batch of 60 satellites aboard a Falcon 9.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/05/first-starlink-mission-heaviest-payload-launch-spacex/|title=Falcon 9 launches first Starlink mission – heaviest payload launch by SpaceX to date|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|access-date=July 4, 2019|archive-date=June 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603142831/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/05/first-starlink-mission-heaviest-payload-launch-spacex/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In May 2019 SpaceX launched the first batch of 60 satellites aboard a Falcon 9.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/05/first-starlink-mission-heaviest-payload-launch-spacex/|title=Falcon 9 launches first Starlink mission – heaviest payload launch by SpaceX to date|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|access-date=July 4, 2019|archive-date=June 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603142831/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/05/first-starlink-mission-heaviest-payload-launch-spacex/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 By November 2020, SpaceX had launched 955 Starlink satellites.
 Initial test operation of the constellation began in late 2020.
-In March 2017, SpaceX filed with the [[Federal Communications Commission]] plans to field a constellation of an additional 7,518 [[V band|V-band]] satellites in non-[[geosynchronous orbit]]s to provide communications services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spacenews.com/fcc-gets-five-new-applications-for-non-geostationary-satellite-constellations/|title=FCC gets five new applications for non-geostationary satellite constellations|date=March 2, 2017|author=Caleb Henry|publisher=SpaceNews |access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190333/https://spacenews.com/fcc-gets-five-new-applications-for-non-geostationary-satellite-constellations/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In March 2017 SpaceX filed with the [[Federal Communications Commission]] plans to field a constellation of an additional 7,518 [[V band|V-band]] satellites in non-[[geosynchronous orbit]]s to provide communications services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spacenews.com/fcc-gets-five-new-applications-for-non-geostationary-satellite-constellations/|title=FCC gets five new applications for non-geostationary satellite constellations|date=March 2, 2017|author=Caleb Henry|publisher=SpaceNews |access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190333/https://spacenews.com/fcc-gets-five-new-applications-for-non-geostationary-satellite-constellations/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In February 2019, SpaceX formed a sibling company, '''SpaceX Services, Inc.''', to license the manufacture and deployment of up to 1,000,000 [[Fixed station|fixed]] satellite Earth stations that will communicate with its Starlink system.<ref name="fcc20190201">[https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-LIC-INTR2019-00217/1616678 SpaceX Services Application for Blanket-licensed Earth stations] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529075424/https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-LIC-INTR2019-00217/1616678|date=May 29, 2019}} SES-LIC-INTR2019-00217, SpaceX, 1 February 2019, accessed 9 February 2019 {{PD-notice}}</ref> The [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) awarded SpaceX with nearly US$900 million worth of federal subsidies to support rural broadband customers through the company's Starlink satellite internet network. SpaceX won subsidies to bring service to customers in 35 U.S. states.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX's Starlink wins nearly $900 million in FCC subsidies to bring internet to rural areas|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/07/spacex-starlink-wins-nearly-900-million-in-fcc-subsidies-auction.html|publisher=CNBC|date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>
+In February 2019 SpaceX formed a sibling company, '''SpaceX Services, Inc.''', to license the manufacture and deployment of up to 1,000,000 [[Fixed station|fixed]] satellite Earth stations that will communicate with its Starlink system.<ref name="fcc20190201">[https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-LIC-INTR2019-00217/1616678 SpaceX Services Application for Blanket-licensed Earth stations] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529075424/https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-LIC-INTR2019-00217/1616678|date=May 29, 2019}} SES-LIC-INTR2019-00217, SpaceX, 1 February 2019, accessed 9 February 2019 {{PD-notice}}</ref> The [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) awarded SpaceX with nearly US$900 million worth of federal subsidies to support rural broadband customers through the company's Starlink satellite internet network. SpaceX won subsidies to bring service to customers in 35 U.S. states.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX's Starlink wins nearly $900 million in FCC subsidies to bring internet to rural areas|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/07/spacex-starlink-wins-nearly-900-million-in-fcc-subsidies-auction.html|publisher=CNBC|date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>
 === Other projects ===
 {{main|Hyperloop pod competition}}
-In June 2015, SpaceX announced that they would sponsor a [[Hyperloop]] [[Hyperloop pod competition|competition]], and would build a {{cvt|1.6|km|adj=on}} long [[scale model|subscale]] test track near SpaceX's headquarters for the competitive events.<ref name="nbc20150615">{{cite web|author=Alan Boyle|title=Elon Musk's SpaceX Plans Hyperloop Pod Races at California HQ in 2016 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/elon-musks-spacex-plans-hyperloop-pod-races-california-hq-2016-n375386|publisher=NBC|date=June 15, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301034956/http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/elon-musks-spacex-plans-hyperloop-pod-races-california-hq-2016-n375386|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="spacex-competition201506">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_hyperloop_pod_competition.pdf|title=Spacex Hyperloop Pod Competition|publisher=SpaceX|date=June 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017 |url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714105843/http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_hyperloop_pod_competition.pdf|archive-date=July 14, 2015}}</ref> The first competitive event was held at the track in January 2017, the second in August 2017 and the third in December 2018.<ref name="sxhyperloop20170910">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/hyperloop|title=SpaceX Hyperloop website|date=September 10, 2017|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=September 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910053512/http://www.spacex.com/hyperloop|archive-date=September 10, 2017}}</ref><ref name=bi20170127>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-hyperloop-competitions-teams-2017-1|title=Elon Musk's Hyperloop contest is happening this weekend – here's a look at all the competing pods|last=Muoio|first=Danielle|date=January 27, 2017|publisher=Business Insider|access-date=January 28, 2017|archive-date=January 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170127181053/http://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-hyperloop-competitions-teams-2017-1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=geekwire20170827>{{cite news |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/germanys-warr-team-wins-spacexs-hyperloop-ii-race-201-mph-pod-run/|title=Germany's WARR team wins SpaceX's Hyperloop II race with 201-mph pod run|first=Alan|last=Boyle |publisher=GeekWire|location=US|date=August 27, 2017|access-date=September 26, 2017|archive-date=September 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925021152/https://www.geekwire.com/2017/germanys-warr-team-wins-spacexs-hyperloop-ii-race-201-mph-pod-run/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In June 2015 SpaceX announced that they would sponsor a [[Hyperloop]] [[Hyperloop pod competition|competition]], and would build a {{cvt|1.6|km|adj=on}} long [[scale model|subscale]] test track near SpaceX's headquarters for the competitive events.<ref name="nbc20150615">{{cite web|author=Alan Boyle|title=Elon Musk's SpaceX Plans Hyperloop Pod Races at California HQ in 2016 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/elon-musks-spacex-plans-hyperloop-pod-races-california-hq-2016-n375386|publisher=NBC|date=June 15, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301034956/http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/elon-musks-spacex-plans-hyperloop-pod-races-california-hq-2016-n375386|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="spacex-competition201506">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_hyperloop_pod_competition.pdf|title=Spacex Hyperloop Pod Competition|publisher=SpaceX|date=June 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017 |url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714105843/http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_hyperloop_pod_competition.pdf|archive-date=July 14, 2015}}</ref> The first competitive event was held at the track in January 2017, the second in August 2017 and the third in December 2018.<ref name="sxhyperloop20170910">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/hyperloop|title=SpaceX Hyperloop website|date=September 10, 2017|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=September 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910053512/http://www.spacex.com/hyperloop|archive-date=September 10, 2017}}</ref><ref name=bi20170127>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-hyperloop-competitions-teams-2017-1|title=Elon Musk's Hyperloop contest is happening this weekend – here's a look at all the competing pods|last=Muoio|first=Danielle|date=January 27, 2017|publisher=Business Insider|access-date=January 28, 2017|archive-date=January 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170127181053/http://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-hyperloop-competitions-teams-2017-1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=geekwire20170827>{{cite news |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/germanys-warr-team-wins-spacexs-hyperloop-ii-race-201-mph-pod-run/|title=Germany's WARR team wins SpaceX's Hyperloop II race with 201-mph pod run|first=Alan|last=Boyle |publisher=GeekWire|location=US|date=August 27, 2017|access-date=September 26, 2017|archive-date=September 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925021152/https://www.geekwire.com/2017/germanys-warr-team-wins-spacexs-hyperloop-ii-race-201-mph-pod-run/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 In collaboration with doctors and academic researchers SpaceX invited during 2020 all employees to participate in the creation of a [[COVID-19]] antibody-testing program. As such 4300 employees volunteered to provide blood-samples resulting in a [[peer-reviewed]] scientific paper crediting eight SpaceX employees as coauthors and suggesting that a certain level of COVID-19 anti-bodies may provide lasting protection against the virus.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/elon-musk-got-4000-spacex-workers-to-join-a-covid-19-study-heres-what-he-learned |title= Elon Musk got 4,000 SpaceX workers to join a COVID-19 study. Here's what he learned. |website= [[Wall Street Journal]] |via= [[foxbusiness.com]] |first= Sarah |last= Krouse |date= 2021-02-21 |access-date=2021-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title= Discrete SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers track with functional humoral stability |journal= [[Nature Communications]] | doi = 10.1038/s41467-021-21336-8 |first1= Yannic C. |last1= Bartsch |first2= Stephanie |last2= Fischinger |first3=  Sameed M. |last3= Siddiqui  |first4= Zhilin |last4= Chen |first5= Jingyou |last5= Yu |first6= Makda |last6= Gebre |first7= Caroline |last7= Atyeo |first8= Matthew J. |last8= Gorman |first9= Alex Lee |last9= Zhu |first10= Jaewon |last10= Kang |first11= John S. |last11= Burke |first12= Matthew |last12= Slein |first13= Matthew J. |last13= Gluck |first14= Samuel |last14= Beger |first15= Yiyuan |last15= Hu |first16=Justin |last16= Rhee |first17= Eric |last17= Petersen |first18= Benjamin |last18= Mormann |first19= Michael |last19= de St Aubin |first20= Mohammad A. |last20= Hasdianda |first21= Guruprasad |last21= Jambaulikar |first22=Edward W. |last22= Boyer |first23=Pardis C. |last23= Sabeti |author-link23= Pardis Sabeti |first24= Dan H. |last24= Barouch |author-link24= Dan Barouch |first25= Boris D. |last25= Julg |first26= Elon R. |last26= Musk |author-link26= Elon Musk |first27= Anil S. |last27= Menon |first28= Douglas A. |last28= Lauffenburger |author-link28= Doug Lauffenburger |first29= Eric J. |last29= Nilles |first30= Galit |last30= Alter |author-link30= Galit Alter |date=2021-02-15 |volume= 12 |issue= 1 |page= 1018 |pmid= 33589636 |pmc= 7884400 |doi-access= free }}</ref>
@@ Line 348: / Line 348: @@
 Testing of the much larger Starship prototypes is conducted in the [[SpaceX South Texas launch site]] near [[Brownsville, Texas]].<ref name=arstechnica_2019/>
-The company purchased the McGregor facilities from [[Beal Aerospace]], where it refitted the largest test stand for [[Falcon 9]] engine testing. SpaceX has made a number of improvements to the facility since purchase and has also extended the acreage by purchasing several pieces of adjacent farmland. In 2011, the company announced plans to upgrade the facility for launch testing a VTVL rocket,<ref name="satspot20110926">{{cite web|author=Doug Mohney |title=SpaceX Plans to Test Reusable Suborbital VTVL Rocket in Texas|url=http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=Satellite Spotlight|date=September 26, 2011|archive-date=August 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804024136/http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and then constructed a half-acre concrete launch facility in 2012 to support the Grasshopper test flight program.<ref name="sfn20120709">{{cite web|title=Reusable rocket prototype almost ready for first liftoff|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=Spaceflight Now |date=July 9, 2012|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523111928/https://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/|url-status=live}}</ref> {{as of|2012|10}}, the McGregor facility had seven test stands that are operated "18 hours a day, six days a week"<ref name="wired20121010">{{cite web|author=Jason Paur|title=Inside SpaceX's Texas Rocket-Testing Facility |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/10/spacex-texas-rocket-test/|publisher=Wired|date=October 10, 2012|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306034148/https://www.wired.com/2012/10/spacex-texas-rocket-test/|url-status=live}}</ref> and is building more test stands because production is ramping up and the company has a large manifest in the next several years.
+The company purchased the McGregor facilities from [[Beal Aerospace]], where it refitted the largest test stand for [[Falcon 9]] engine testing. SpaceX has made a number of improvements to the facility since purchase and has also extended the acreage by purchasing several pieces of adjacent farmland. In 2011 the company announced plans to upgrade the facility for launch testing a VTVL rocket,<ref name="satspot20110926">{{cite web|author=Doug Mohney |title=SpaceX Plans to Test Reusable Suborbital VTVL Rocket in Texas|url=http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=Satellite Spotlight|date=September 26, 2011|archive-date=August 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804024136/http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and then constructed a half-acre concrete launch facility in 2012 to support the Grasshopper test flight program.<ref name="sfn20120709">{{cite web|title=Reusable rocket prototype almost ready for first liftoff|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=Spaceflight Now |date=July 9, 2012|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523111928/https://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/|url-status=live}}</ref> {{as of|2012|10}}, the McGregor facility had seven test stands that are operated "18 hours a day, six days a week"<ref name="wired20121010">{{cite web|author=Jason Paur|title=Inside SpaceX's Texas Rocket-Testing Facility |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/10/spacex-texas-rocket-test/|publisher=Wired|date=October 10, 2012|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306034148/https://www.wired.com/2012/10/spacex-texas-rocket-test/|url-status=live}}</ref> and is building more test stands because production is ramping up and the company has a large manifest in the next several years.
 In addition to routine testing, Dragon capsules (following recovery after an orbital mission), are shipped to McGregor for de-fueling, cleanup, and refurbishment for reuse in future missions.
@@ Line 371: / Line 371: @@
 [[File:BocachicaspaceX.jpg|thumb|The Starship assembly building under construction at Boca Chica in August 2020]]
 {{main|SpaceX South Texas launch site}}
-In August 2014, SpaceX announced they would be building a commercial-only launch facility near [[Brownsville, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/20001/|title=Gov. Perry Announces State Incentives Bringing SpaceX Commercial Launch Facility, 300 Jobs to the Brownsville Area|date=August 4, 2014|publisher=Office of the Governor Rick Perry|access-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829013047/http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/20001/|archive-date=August 29, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Eric Berger|title=Texas, SpaceX announce spaceport deal near Brownsville|publisher=MySanAntonio.com|date=August 4, 2014|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Texas-SpaceX-announce-spaceport-deal-near-5667434.php|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227052306/http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Texas-SpaceX-announce-spaceport-deal-near-5667434.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) issued the permit in July 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-receives-faa-approval-for-proposed-spaceport-in-texas/|title=SpaceX receives FAA approval for proposed spaceport in Texas|date=July 15, 2014|author=Leonard David|work=CBS News|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202014713/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-receives-faa-approval-for-proposed-spaceport-in-texas/|url-status=live}}</ref> SpaceX started construction on the new launch facility in 2014 with production ramping up in the latter half of 2015,<ref name="sn20140922">{{cite web|author=Jeff Foust|title=SpaceX Breaks Ground on Texas Spaceport|url=http://spacenews.com/41957spacex-breaks-ground-on-texas-spaceport/|publisher=SpaceNews|date=September 22, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190419/https://spacenews.com/41957spacex-breaks-ground-on-texas-spaceport/|url-status=live}}</ref> with the first [[suborbital spaceflight|suborbital]] launches from the facility in 2019.<ref name=arstechnica_2019>{{cite news |last1=Berger |first1=Eric |title=SpaceX’s Starship prototype has taken flight for the first time |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/07/spacexs-starship-prototype-has-taken-flight-for-the-first-time/ |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=Ars Technica |date=26 July 2019 |language=en-us}}</ref>
+In August 2014 SpaceX announced they would be building a commercial-only launch facility near [[Brownsville, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/20001/|title=Gov. Perry Announces State Incentives Bringing SpaceX Commercial Launch Facility, 300 Jobs to the Brownsville Area|date=August 4, 2014|publisher=Office of the Governor Rick Perry|access-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829013047/http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/20001/|archive-date=August 29, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Eric Berger|title=Texas, SpaceX announce spaceport deal near Brownsville|publisher=MySanAntonio.com|date=August 4, 2014|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Texas-SpaceX-announce-spaceport-deal-near-5667434.php|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227052306/http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Texas-SpaceX-announce-spaceport-deal-near-5667434.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) issued the permit in July 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-receives-faa-approval-for-proposed-spaceport-in-texas/|title=SpaceX receives FAA approval for proposed spaceport in Texas|date=July 15, 2014|author=Leonard David|work=CBS News|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202014713/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-receives-faa-approval-for-proposed-spaceport-in-texas/|url-status=live}}</ref> SpaceX started construction on the new launch facility in 2014 with production ramping up in the latter half of 2015,<ref name="sn20140922">{{cite web|author=Jeff Foust|title=SpaceX Breaks Ground on Texas Spaceport|url=http://spacenews.com/41957spacex-breaks-ground-on-texas-spaceport/|publisher=SpaceNews|date=September 22, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190419/https://spacenews.com/41957spacex-breaks-ground-on-texas-spaceport/|url-status=live}}</ref> with the first [[suborbital spaceflight|suborbital]] launches from the facility in 2019.<ref name=arstechnica_2019>{{cite news |last1=Berger |first1=Eric |title=SpaceX’s Starship prototype has taken flight for the first time |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/07/spacexs-starship-prototype-has-taken-flight-for-the-first-time/ |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=Ars Technica |date=26 July 2019 |language=en-us}}</ref>
 === Satellite prototyping facility ===
 {{details|Starlink}}
-In January 2015, SpaceX announced it would be entering the satellite production business and global satellite internet business. The first satellite facility is a {{cvt|30,000|sqft}} office building located in [[Redmond, Washington]]. As of January 2017, a second facility in Redmond was acquired with {{cvt|40,625|sqft}} and has become a research and development laboratory for the satellites.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/spacex-lab-satellite-development-redmond/|title=SpaceX adds a big new lab to its satellite development operation in Seattle area|date=January 27, 2017|publisher=GeekWire |access-date=October 11, 2018|archive-date=October 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012053923/https://www.geekwire.com/2017/spacex-lab-satellite-development-redmond/|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2016, SpaceX acquired an additional {{cvt|8000|sqft}} creative space in [[Irvine, California]] (Orange County) to focus on satellite communications.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teslarati.com/spacex-expands-office-space-in-orange-county/ |title=SpaceX expands to new 8,000 sqft office space in Orange County, CA |author=Gene |date=July 8, 2016 |publisher=Teslarati |access-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513175400/https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-expands-office-space-in-orange-county/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2016-07-08|title=SpaceX landing in Orange County|url=https://www.ocregister.com/articles/spacex-721852-office-irvine.html|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Orange County Register|archive-date=February 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228165448/http://www.ocregister.com/articles/spacex-721852-office-irvine.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In January 2015 SpaceX announced it would be entering the satellite production business and global satellite internet business. The first satellite facility is a {{cvt|30,000|sqft}} office building located in [[Redmond, Washington]]. As of January 2017, a second facility in Redmond was acquired with {{cvt|40,625|sqft}} and has become a research and development laboratory for the satellites.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/spacex-lab-satellite-development-redmond/|title=SpaceX adds a big new lab to its satellite development operation in Seattle area|date=January 27, 2017|publisher=GeekWire |access-date=October 11, 2018|archive-date=October 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012053923/https://www.geekwire.com/2017/spacex-lab-satellite-development-redmond/|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2016, SpaceX acquired an additional {{cvt|8000|sqft}} creative space in [[Irvine, California]] (Orange County) to focus on satellite communications.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teslarati.com/spacex-expands-office-space-in-orange-county/ |title=SpaceX expands to new 8,000 sqft office space in Orange County, CA |author=Gene |date=July 8, 2016 |publisher=Teslarati |access-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513175400/https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-expands-office-space-in-orange-county/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2016-07-08|title=SpaceX landing in Orange County|url=https://www.ocregister.com/articles/spacex-721852-office-irvine.html|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Orange County Register|archive-date=February 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228165448/http://www.ocregister.com/articles/spacex-721852-office-irvine.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
 == Launch contracts ==
@@ Line 388: / Line 388: @@
 [[File:COTS2 Dragon is berthed.jpg|thumb|right|The COTS 2 Dragon is berthed to the [[International Space Station]] (ISS) by [[Mobile Servicing System|Canadarm2]].]]
-In 2006, NASA announced that SpaceX had won a NASA [[Commercial Orbital Transportation Services]] (COTS) Phase 1 contract to demonstrate cargo delivery to the [[International Space Station]] (ISS), with a possible contract option for crew transport.<ref>Dennis Stone, "NASA's Approach to Commercial cargo and Crew Transportation", ''Acta Astronautica'' 63, No. 1-4 (2008):192–97</ref> Through this contract, designed by NASA to provide "seed money" through Space Act Agreements for developing new capabilities, NASA paid SpaceX US$396 million to develop the cargo configuration of the Dragon spacecraft, while SpaceX self-invested more than US$500 million to develop the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.<ref>{{citation|last=AtlanticCouncil|title=Discussion with Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX|date=June 4, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYocHwhfFDc|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=January 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125082949/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYocHwhfFDc|url-status=live}}</ref> These [[Space Act Agreement]]s have been shown to have saved NASA millions of dollars in development costs, making rocket development ~4–10 times cheaper than if produced by NASA alone.<ref name=":5"/>
+In 2006 NASA announced that SpaceX had won a NASA [[Commercial Orbital Transportation Services]] (COTS) Phase 1 contract to demonstrate cargo delivery to the [[International Space Station]] (ISS), with a possible contract option for crew transport.<ref>Dennis Stone, "NASA's Approach to Commercial cargo and Crew Transportation", ''Acta Astronautica'' 63, No. 1-4 (2008):192–97</ref> Through this contract, designed by NASA to provide "seed money" through Space Act Agreements for developing new capabilities, NASA paid SpaceX US$396 million to develop the cargo configuration of the Dragon spacecraft, while SpaceX self-invested more than US$500 million to develop the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.<ref>{{citation|last=AtlanticCouncil|title=Discussion with Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX|date=June 4, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYocHwhfFDc|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=January 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125082949/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYocHwhfFDc|url-status=live}}</ref> These [[Space Act Agreement]]s have been shown to have saved NASA millions of dollars in development costs, making rocket development ~4–10 times cheaper than if produced by NASA alone.<ref name=":5"/>
-In December 2010, the launch of the [[SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1]] mission, SpaceX became the first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.<ref name="spaceflight 20101208">{{cite web|publisher=Spaceflight Now|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/002/status.html|title=Mission Status Center|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=June 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607105407/http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/002/status.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In December 2010 the launch of the [[SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 1]] mission, SpaceX became the first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.<ref name="spaceflight 20101208">{{cite web|publisher=Spaceflight Now|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/002/status.html|title=Mission Status Center|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=June 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607105407/http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/002/status.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
 Dragon successfully berthed with the ISS during [[SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2]] in May 2012, a first for a private spacecraft.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/science/space/spacexs-private-cargo-rocket-heads-to-space-station.html|title=Big Day for a Space Entrepreneur Promising More|date=May 22, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|author=Kenneth Chang|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=July 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701083413/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/science/space/spacexs-private-cargo-rocket-heads-to-space-station.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
@@ Line 400: / Line 400: @@
 CRS missions have flown approximately twice a year to the ISS since then. In 2015, NASA extended the Phase 1 contracts by ordering an additional three resupply flights from SpaceX, for a total of 15 cargo transport.<ref>{{cite web|author=Chris Bergin|date=March 3, 2015|title=NASA lines up four additional CRS missions for Dragon and Cygnus|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/03/nasa-crs-missions-dragon-cygnus/|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|access-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-date=January 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130164344/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/03/nasa-crs-missions-dragon-cygnus/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="spaceflightinsider_2014">{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/commercial/nasa-continues-commercial-push-crs-extension/|title=NASA continues Commercial 'push' with CRS extension|author=Jason Rhian|date=September 27, 2014 |publisher=Spaceflight Insider|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=October 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020231358/http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/commercial/nasa-continues-commercial-push-crs-extension/|url-status=live}}</ref> After further extensions late in 2015, SpaceX is currently scheduled to fly a total of 20 resupply missions.<ref>{{cite web|author=Peter B. de Selding|date=February 24, 2016|title=SpaceX wins 5 new space station cargo missions in NASA contract estimated at $700 million|url=http://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-5-new-space-station-cargo-missions-in-nasa-contract-estimated-at-700-million/|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 24, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.is/20160224170629/http://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-5-new-space-station-cargo-missions-in-nasa-contract-estimated-at-700-million/|url-status=live}}</ref> A second phase of contracts, known as [[Commercial Resupply Services|CRS-2]], were awarded in January 2016 for cargo transport flights beginning in 2019 and expected to last through 2024.
-In March 2020, NASA contracted SpaceX to develop the [[Dragon XL]] spacecraft to send supplies to the [[Lunar Gateway]] space station. Dragon XL will be launched on a Falcon Heavy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-for-lunar-orbit-missions-with-dragon-xl-falocn-heavy.html|title=SpaceX's most powerful rocket will send NASA cargo to the moon's orbit to supply astronauts|last=Sheetz|first=Michael|date=March 27, 2020|publisher=CNBC|access-date=April 1, 2020|archive-date=March 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330205822/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-for-lunar-orbit-missions-with-dragon-xl-falocn-heavy.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In March 2020 NASA contracted SpaceX to develop the [[Dragon XL]] spacecraft to send supplies to the [[Lunar Gateway]] space station. Dragon XL will be launched on a Falcon Heavy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-for-lunar-orbit-missions-with-dragon-xl-falocn-heavy.html|title=SpaceX's most powerful rocket will send NASA cargo to the moon's orbit to supply astronauts|last=Sheetz|first=Michael|date=March 27, 2020|publisher=CNBC|access-date=April 1, 2020|archive-date=March 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330205822/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-for-lunar-orbit-missions-with-dragon-xl-falocn-heavy.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
 ==== Commercial crew ====
@@ Line 409: / Line 409: @@
 The NASA contracts started as part of the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program, aimed at developing commercially operated spacecraft capable of delivering astronauts to the ISS. The first contract was awarded to SpaceX in 2011,<ref name="Space Abort System 20111028">{{cite web|title=Private Space Taxi's Crew Escape System Passes Big Hurdle |url=http://www.space.com/13396-spacex-dragon-launch-abort-system-review.html|access-date=March 1, 2017|publisher=Space.com|date=October 28, 2011|archive-date=December 18, 2011|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6416dTBU3?url=http://www.space.com/13396-spacex-dragon-launch-abort-system-review.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="aw20110422">{{cite web |author=Frank, Jr. Morring|title=Five Vehicles Vie For Future Of U.S. Human Spaceflight|url=http://aviationweek.com/awin/five-vehicles-vie-future-us-human-spaceflight|publisher=Aviation Week|date=April 25, 2011 |access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=May 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509041748/http://aviationweek.com/awin/five-vehicles-vie-future-us-human-spaceflight|url-status=live}}</ref> followed by another in 2012 to continue development and testing of its [[SpaceX Dragon 2|Dragon 2]] spacecraft.<ref name="August2012">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2012/release-20120803.html|title=NASA Announces Next Steps in Effort to Launch Americans from U.S. Soil|date=August 3, 2012|publisher=NASA|access-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170319023004/https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2012/release-20120803.html|archive-date=March 19, 2017}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
-In September 2014, NASA chose SpaceX and Boeing as the two companies that would be funded to develop systems to transport U.S. crews to and from the ISS.<ref name="September2014"/> SpaceX won US$2.6 billion to complete and certify Dragon 2 by 2017. The contracts include at least one crewed flight test with at least one NASA astronaut aboard. Once Crew Dragon achieves NASA certification, the contract requires SpaceX to conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station.<ref name="September2014">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/nasa-chooses-american-companies-to-transport-us-astronauts-to-international/|title=NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station|date=September 16, 2014|publisher=NASA|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320051537/https://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/nasa-chooses-american-companies-to-transport-us-astronauts-to-international/|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
+In September 2014 NASA chose SpaceX and Boeing as the two companies that would be funded to develop systems to transport U.S. crews to and from the ISS.<ref name="September2014"/> SpaceX won US$2.6 billion to complete and certify Dragon 2 by 2017. The contracts include at least one crewed flight test with at least one NASA astronaut aboard. Once Crew Dragon achieves NASA certification, the contract requires SpaceX to conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station.<ref name="September2014">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/nasa-chooses-american-companies-to-transport-us-astronauts-to-international/|title=NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station|date=September 16, 2014|publisher=NASA|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320051537/https://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/nasa-chooses-american-companies-to-transport-us-astronauts-to-international/|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
 SpaceX completed the first key flight test of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, a Pad Abort Test, in May 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.spacex.com/news/2015/05/06/crew-dragon-completes-pad-abort-test|title=Crew Dragon Completes Pad Abort Test|last=Post|first=Hannah|date=May 6, 2015|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=January 22, 2020 |archive-date=July 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710153717/http://www.spacex.com/news/2015/05/06/crew-dragon-completes-pad-abort-test|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In early 2017, SpaceX was awarded four additional crewed missions to the ISS from NASA.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teslarati.com/nasa-awards-crew-dragon-missions-spacex/|title=NASA awards SpaceX with crew missions to International Space Station|website=teslarati.com|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=March 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330012848/https://www.teslarati.com/nasa-awards-crew-dragon-missions-spacex/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In early 2017 SpaceX was awarded four additional crewed missions to the ISS from NASA.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teslarati.com/nasa-awards-crew-dragon-missions-spacex/|title=NASA awards SpaceX with crew missions to International Space Station|website=teslarati.com|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=March 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330012848/https://www.teslarati.com/nasa-awards-crew-dragon-missions-spacex/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In early 2019, SpaceX successfully conducted a full uncrewed test flight of Crew Dragon, which docked to the ISS and then splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.spacex.com/news/2019/03/04/crew-dragon-docks-iss|title=Crew Dragon Docks at the ISS|last=ksmith|date=March 4, 2019|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307191556/https://www.spacex.com/news/2019/03/04/crew-dragon-docks-iss|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In early 2019 SpaceX successfully conducted a full uncrewed test flight of Crew Dragon, which docked to the ISS and then splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.spacex.com/news/2019/03/04/crew-dragon-docks-iss|title=Crew Dragon Docks at the ISS|last=ksmith|date=March 4, 2019|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307191556/https://www.spacex.com/news/2019/03/04/crew-dragon-docks-iss|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In January 2020, Crew Dragon test capsule successfully conducted the last major test before crewed flight, an [[Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test|In-Flight Abort Test]].<ref name=":7">{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacex-complete-final-major-flight-test-of-crew-spacecraft|title=NASA, SpaceX Complete Final Major Flight Test of Crew Spacecraft|last=Northon|first=Karen|date=January 19, 2020|publisher=NASA |access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-date=January 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123115852/https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacex-complete-final-major-flight-test-of-crew-spacecraft|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
+In January 2020 Crew Dragon test capsule successfully conducted the last major test before crewed flight, an [[Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test|In-Flight Abort Test]].<ref name=":7">{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacex-complete-final-major-flight-test-of-crew-spacecraft|title=NASA, SpaceX Complete Final Major Flight Test of Crew Spacecraft|last=Northon|first=Karen|date=January 19, 2020|publisher=NASA |access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-date=January 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123115852/https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacex-complete-final-major-flight-test-of-crew-spacecraft|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
-On 30 May 2020, the [[Crew Dragon Demo-2]] mission was launched to the [[International Space Station]] with American astronauts [[Bob Behnken]] and [[Doug Hurley]]. This was the first time a crewed vehicle had launched from the U.S. since 2011, and the first commercial crewed launch to the [[ISS]].<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-08-03|title=Demo-2 Success Lays Groundwork for Future Commercial Crew Missions |url=https://www.americaspace.com/2020/08/03/demo-2-success-lays-groundwork-for-future-commercial-crew-missions/|access-date=2020-11-17|publisher=AmericaSpace}}</ref>
+On 30 May 2020 the [[Crew Dragon Demo-2]] mission was launched to the [[International Space Station]] with American astronauts [[Bob Behnken]] and [[Doug Hurley]]. This was the first time a crewed vehicle had launched from the U.S. since 2011, and the first commercial crewed launch to the [[ISS]].<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-08-03|title=Demo-2 Success Lays Groundwork for Future Commercial Crew Missions |url=https://www.americaspace.com/2020/08/03/demo-2-success-lays-groundwork-for-future-commercial-crew-missions/|access-date=2020-11-17|publisher=AmericaSpace}}</ref>
 The [[SpaceX Crew-1|Crew-1]] mission was successfully launched to the [[International Space Station]] on 16 November 2020, with [[NASA]] astronauts [[Michael S. Hopkins|Michael Hopkins]], [[Victor J. Glover|Victor Glover]] and [[Shannon Walker]] along with [[JAXA]] astronaut [[Soichi Noguchi]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Business|first=Jackie Wattles, CNN|title=SpaceX-NASA mission: Four astronauts arrive at International Space Station|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/16/tech/spacex-nasa-iss-docking-scn/index.html|access-date=2020-11-17|publisher=CNN}}</ref> all members of the [[Expedition 64]] crew.<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-11-17 |title=Dragon Resilience Docks at Space Station, Expands Expedition 64 to Seven Crew|url=https://www.americaspace.com/2020/11/17/dragon-resilience-docks-at-space-station-expands-expedition-64-to-seven-crew/ |access-date=2020-11-17|publisher=AmericaSpace}}</ref>
 === National defense ===
 [[File:STP-2 Mission (48129211908).jpg|thumb|Launch of the STP-2 mission in June 2019]]
-In 2005, SpaceX announced that it had been awarded an [[IDIQ|Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity]] (IDIQ) contract, allowing the [[United States Air Force]] to purchase up to US$100 million worth of launches from the company.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=15|title=SpaceX Awarded $100 Million Contract From U.S. Air Force for Falcon I|date=May 2, 2005|publisher=SpaceX |access-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830032252/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=15|archive-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref> In April 2008, [[NASA]] announced that it had awarded an IDIQ Launch Services contract to SpaceX for up to US$1 billion, depending on the number of missions awarded. The contract covers launch services ordered by June 2010, for launches through December 2012.<ref name="NASA presser 20080422">{{cite press release|url=https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/apr/HQ_C08023_KSC_launch_services.html|title=NASA Awards Launch Services Contract to SpaceX|publisher=NASA|date=April 22, 2008|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312055955/https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/apr/HQ_C08023_KSC_launch_services.html|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Musk stated in the same 2008 announcement that SpaceX has sold 14 contracts for flights on the various [[Falcon (rocket family)|Falcon]] vehicles.<ref name="NASA presser 20080422"/> In December 2012, SpaceX announced its first two launch contracts with the [[United States Department of Defense]] (DoD). The United States Air Force [[Space and Missile Systems Center]] awarded SpaceX two EELV-class missions: [[Deep Space Climate Observatory]] (DSCOVR) and [[Space Test Program 2]] (STP-2). DSCOVR was launched on a [[Falcon 9]] launch vehicle in 2015, while STP-2 was launched on a [[Falcon Heavy]] on 25 June 2019.<ref>[https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/27/spacexs-very-first-falcon-heavy-launch-set-for-this-november/ SpaceX's very first Falcon Heavy launch set for this November] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715192225/https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/27/spacexs-very-first-falcon-heavy-launch-set-for-this-november/|date=July 15, 2019}}, TechCrunch, Darrell Etherington, 27 July 2017</ref>
+In 2005 SpaceX announced that it had been awarded an [[IDIQ|Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity]] (IDIQ) contract, allowing the [[United States Air Force]] to purchase up to US$100 million worth of launches from the company.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=15|title=SpaceX Awarded $100 Million Contract From U.S. Air Force for Falcon I|date=May 2, 2005|publisher=SpaceX |access-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830032252/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=15|archive-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref> In April 2008, [[NASA]] announced that it had awarded an IDIQ Launch Services contract to SpaceX for up to US$1 billion, depending on the number of missions awarded. The contract covers launch services ordered by June 2010, for launches through December 2012.<ref name="NASA presser 20080422">{{cite press release|url=https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/apr/HQ_C08023_KSC_launch_services.html|title=NASA Awards Launch Services Contract to SpaceX|publisher=NASA|date=April 22, 2008|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312055955/https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/apr/HQ_C08023_KSC_launch_services.html|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Musk stated in the same 2008 announcement that SpaceX has sold 14 contracts for flights on the various [[Falcon (rocket family)|Falcon]] vehicles.<ref name="NASA presser 20080422"/> In December 2012, SpaceX announced its first two launch contracts with the [[United States Department of Defense]] (DoD). The United States Air Force [[Space and Missile Systems Center]] awarded SpaceX two EELV-class missions: [[Deep Space Climate Observatory]] (DSCOVR) and [[Space Test Program 2]] (STP-2). DSCOVR was launched on a [[Falcon 9]] launch vehicle in 2015, while STP-2 was launched on a [[Falcon Heavy]] on 25 June 2019.<ref>[https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/27/spacexs-very-first-falcon-heavy-launch-set-for-this-november/ SpaceX's very first Falcon Heavy launch set for this November] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715192225/https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/27/spacexs-very-first-falcon-heavy-launch-set-for-this-november/|date=July 15, 2019}}, TechCrunch, Darrell Etherington, 27 July 2017</ref>
-In May 2015, the United States Air Force announced that the [[Falcon 9 v1.1]] was certified for [[National Security Space Launch]] (NSSL), which allows SpaceX to contract launch services to the Air Force for any payloads classified under national security.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/589724/air-forces-space-and-missiles-system-center-certifies-spacex-for-national-secur.aspx|title=Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center Certifies SpaceX for National Security Space Missions|publisher=USAF|date=May 26, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301072446/http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/589724/air-forces-space-and-missiles-system-center-certifies-spacex-for-national-secur.aspx|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
+In May 2015 the United States Air Force announced that the [[Falcon 9 v1.1]] was certified for [[National Security Space Launch]] (NSSL), which allows SpaceX to contract launch services to the Air Force for any payloads classified under national security.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/589724/air-forces-space-and-missiles-system-center-certifies-spacex-for-national-secur.aspx|title=Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center Certifies SpaceX for National Security Space Missions|publisher=USAF|date=May 26, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301072446/http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/589724/air-forces-space-and-missiles-system-center-certifies-spacex-for-national-secur.aspx|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
 This broke the monopoly held since 2006 by [[United Launch Alliance]] (ULA) over the U.S. Air Force launches of classified payloads.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-military-space-idUSKBN0OB2M020150526|title=U.S. Air Force certifies SpaceX for national security launches|date=May 26, 2015|access-date=February 2, 2019 |work=Reuters|archive-date=February 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203085017/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-military-space-idUSKBN0OB2M020150526|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In April 2016, the U.S. Air Force awarded the first such national security launch to SpaceX to launch the 2nd [[GPS Block III|GPS 3]] satellite for US$82.7 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX wins $82 million contract for 2018 Falcon 9 launch of GPS 3 satellite|url=http://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-82-million-contract-for-2018-falcon-9-launch-of-gps-3-satellite/|author=Mike Gruss|date=April 27, 2016|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190355/https://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-82-million-contract-for-2018-falcon-9-launch-of-gps-3-satellite/|url-status=live}}</ref> This was approximately 40% less than the estimated cost for similar previous missions.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX undercut ULA rocket launch pricing by 40 percent: U.S. Air Force |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-spacex-launch-ula-idUSKCN0XP2T2|publisher=Reuters|date=April 28, 2016|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216155948/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-spacex-launch-ula-idUSKCN0XP2T2|url-status=live}}</ref> SpaceX also launched the 3rd GPS 3 launch on 20 June 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/spacexs-low-cost-won-gps-3-launch-air-force-says/ |title=SpaceX's low cost won GPS 3 launch, Air Force says|date=March 15, 2017|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=February 2, 2019|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190353/https://spacenews.com/spacexs-low-cost-won-gps-3-launch-air-force-says/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In April 2016 the U.S. Air Force awarded the first such national security launch to SpaceX to launch the 2nd [[GPS Block III|GPS 3]] satellite for US$82.7 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX wins $82 million contract for 2018 Falcon 9 launch of GPS 3 satellite|url=http://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-82-million-contract-for-2018-falcon-9-launch-of-gps-3-satellite/|author=Mike Gruss|date=April 27, 2016|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190355/https://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-82-million-contract-for-2018-falcon-9-launch-of-gps-3-satellite/|url-status=live}}</ref> This was approximately 40% less than the estimated cost for similar previous missions.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX undercut ULA rocket launch pricing by 40 percent: U.S. Air Force |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-spacex-launch-ula-idUSKCN0XP2T2|publisher=Reuters|date=April 28, 2016|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216155948/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-spacex-launch-ula-idUSKCN0XP2T2|url-status=live}}</ref> SpaceX also launched the 3rd GPS 3 launch on 20 June 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/spacexs-low-cost-won-gps-3-launch-air-force-says/ |title=SpaceX's low cost won GPS 3 launch, Air Force says|date=March 15, 2017|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=February 2, 2019|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190353/https://spacenews.com/spacexs-low-cost-won-gps-3-launch-air-force-says/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In March 2018, SpaceX secured an additional US$290 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three GPS III satellites.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/03/15/spacex-ula-secure-nearly-650-million-air-force-launch-contracts-gps-afspc/427002002/|title=ULA, SpaceX secure nearly $650 million in Air Force launch contracts|newspaper=Florida Today|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=November 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104161146/https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/03/15/spacex-ula-secure-nearly-650-million-air-force-launch-contracts-gps-afspc/427002002/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In March 2018 SpaceX secured an additional US$290 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three GPS III satellites.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/03/15/spacex-ula-secure-nearly-650-million-air-force-launch-contracts-gps-afspc/427002002/|title=ULA, SpaceX secure nearly $650 million in Air Force launch contracts|newspaper=Florida Today|access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=November 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104161146/https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/03/15/spacex-ula-secure-nearly-650-million-air-force-launch-contracts-gps-afspc/427002002/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In 2016, the U.S. [[National Reconnaissance Office]] (NRO) purchased launches from SpaceX, with the first taking place on 1 May 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-prepares-for-its-first-big-nro-launch/|title=SpaceX prepares for its first big NRO launch|date=April 26, 2017|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=February 2, 2019|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190356/https://spacenews.com/spacex-prepares-for-its-first-big-nro-launch/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In 2016 the U.S. [[National Reconnaissance Office]] (NRO) purchased launches from SpaceX, with the first taking place on 1 May 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-prepares-for-its-first-big-nro-launch/|title=SpaceX prepares for its first big NRO launch|date=April 26, 2017|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=February 2, 2019|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190356/https://spacenews.com/spacex-prepares-for-its-first-big-nro-launch/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 In February 2019, SpaceX secured a US$297 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to launch another three national security missions, all slated to launch no earlier than FY 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://spacenews.com/air-force-awards-739-million-in-launch-contracts-to-ula-and-spacex/|title=Air Force awards $739 million in launch contracts to ULA and SpaceX|last=Erwin|first=Sandra|date=February 19, 2019|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=February 19, 2019|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190353/https://spacenews.com/air-force-awards-739-million-in-launch-contracts-to-ula-and-spacex/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-On 7 August 2020, the [[U.S. Space Force]] awarded its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) contracts for the following 5–7 years. SpaceX won a contract for US$316 million for one launch. In addition, SpaceX will handle 40% of the U.S. militaries satellite launch requirements over the period.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/07/tech/spacex-ula-military-national-security-contract-scn/index.html|title=Archived copy|access-date=August 8, 2020|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808174639/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/07/tech/spacex-ula-military-national-security-contract-scn/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
+On 7 August 2020 the [[U.S. Space Force]] awarded its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) contracts for the following 5–7 years. SpaceX won a contract for US$316 million for one launch. In addition, SpaceX will handle 40% of the U.S. militaries satellite launch requirements over the period.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/07/tech/spacex-ula-military-national-security-contract-scn/index.html|title=Archived copy|access-date=August 8, 2020|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808174639/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/07/tech/spacex-ula-military-national-security-contract-scn/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
 === Space Adventures ===
-In February 2020, [[Space Adventures]] announced plans to fly private citizens into orbit on Crew Dragon.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/18/space-adventures-announces-plans-to-launch-private-citizens-on-spacex-crew-capsule/|title=Space Adventures announces plans to fly private citizens on SpaceX crew capsule|publisher=Spaceflight Now|last=Clark|first=Stephen|access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=February 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219013924/https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/18/space-adventures-announces-plans-to-launch-private-citizens-on-spacex-crew-capsule/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The Crew Dragon vehicle would launch from [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A|LC-39A]] with up to four tourists on board, and spend up to five days in a [[low Earth orbit]] with an apogee of over {{cvt|1000|km}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/thetomshelley/status/1229784274301222918|title=Apollo 9 went to 500 km apogee. Target for this mission is higher – like Gemini X1 >1,000km.|last=Shelley|first=Tom|date=February 18, 2020|website=@thetomshelley|access-date=February 19, 2020|archive-date=February 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218154843/https://twitter.com/thetomshelley/status/1229784274301222918|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In February 2020 [[Space Adventures]] announced plans to fly private citizens into orbit on Crew Dragon.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/18/space-adventures-announces-plans-to-launch-private-citizens-on-spacex-crew-capsule/|title=Space Adventures announces plans to fly private citizens on SpaceX crew capsule|publisher=Spaceflight Now|last=Clark|first=Stephen|access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-date=February 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219013924/https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/18/space-adventures-announces-plans-to-launch-private-citizens-on-spacex-crew-capsule/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The Crew Dragon vehicle would launch from [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A|LC-39A]] with up to four tourists on board, and spend up to five days in a [[low Earth orbit]] with an apogee of over {{cvt|1000|km}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/thetomshelley/status/1229784274301222918|title=Apollo 9 went to 500 km apogee. Target for this mission is higher – like Gemini X1 >1,000km.|last=Shelley|first=Tom|date=February 18, 2020|website=@thetomshelley|access-date=February 19, 2020|archive-date=February 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218154843/https://twitter.com/thetomshelley/status/1229784274301222918|url-status=live}}</ref>
 == Criticism and controversies ==
@@ Line 445: / Line 445: @@
 === Armenian protests against Turkish satellite launch ===
-The [[Armenian Americans|Armenian community]] of [[Los Angeles County]], [[California]] staged protests at SpaceX headquarters in [[Hawthorne, California|Hawthorne]] in October 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|last=KABC|date=2020-10-30|title=Armenian community protests at SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne over Turkish satellite launch|url=https://abc7.com/7468290/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=ABC7 Los Angeles|language=en}}</ref> demanding the cancellation of [[Türksat 5A]] satellite launch on a Falcon 9 rocket. This was preceded by a mass email campaign to SpaceX staff and members of the media by concerned Armenians around the world, asking the company to cancel the launch contract with the Turkish government.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Armenian email campaign asks SpaceX not to aid Turkish regime with satellite launch|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2020/10/27/armenian-email-campaign-asks-spacex-not-to-aid-turkish-regime-with-satellite-launch/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}}</ref> The Armenians claimed that the satellite could be used by the Turkish government for military purposes, in view of Turkey's current provision of unmanned aerial vehicles to Azerbaijan in its [[2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict|armed conflict with Armenia involving the Nagorno-Karabakh region]].<ref>{{cite web|last=KABC|date=30 October 2020|title=Armenian community protests at SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne over Turkish satellite launch|url=https://abc7.com/7468290/|access-date=2020-11-01|publisher=ABC7 Los Angeles}}</ref>
+The [[Armenian Americans|Armenian community]] of [[Los Angeles County]], [[California]] staged protests at SpaceX headquarters in [[Hawthorne, California|Hawthorne]] in October 2020<ref>{{Cite web|last=KABC|date=2020-10-30|title=Armenian community protests at SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne over Turkish satellite launch|url=https://abc7.com/7468290/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=ABC7 Los Angeles|language=en}}</ref> demanding the cancellation of [[Türksat 5A]] satellite launch on a Falcon 9 rocket. This was preceded by a mass email campaign to SpaceX staff and members of the media by concerned Armenians around the world, asking the company to cancel the launch contract with the Turkish government.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Armenian email campaign asks SpaceX not to aid Turkish regime with satellite launch|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2020/10/27/armenian-email-campaign-asks-spacex-not-to-aid-turkish-regime-with-satellite-launch/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}}</ref> The Armenians claimed that the satellite could be used by the Turkish government for military purposes, in view of Turkey's current provision of unmanned aerial vehicles to Azerbaijan in its [[2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict|armed conflict with Armenia involving the Nagorno-Karabakh region]].<ref>{{cite web|last=KABC|date=30 October 2020|title=Armenian community protests at SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne over Turkish satellite launch|url=https://abc7.com/7468290/|access-date=2020-11-01|publisher=ABC7 Los Angeles}}</ref>
 ==Launch market competition and pricing pressure==
@@ Line 454: / Line 454: @@
 With a published price of US$56.5 million per launch to [[low Earth orbit]], Falcon 9 rockets were the cheapest in the industry.<ref name="fp20131209">{{cite web|author=Michael Belfiore|title=The Rocketeer|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/12/09/the-rocketeer/|publisher=Foreign Policy |date=December 9, 2013|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317221323/http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/12/09/the-rocketeer/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 European satellite operators are pushing the [[European Space Agency]] (ESA) to reduce launch prices of the [[Ariane 5]] and the future [[Ariane 6]] rockets as a result of competition from SpaceX.<ref name="smh20150519">{{cite web|author=David Ramli|title=NBN launcher Arianespace to cut jobs and costs to fight SpaceX|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/nbn-launcher-arianespace-to-cut-jobs-and-costs-to-fight-spacex-20150518-gh4i4x|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald Business Day|date=May 19, 2015|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=June 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612103644/http://www.smh.com.au/business/nbn-launcher-arianespace-to-cut-jobs-and-costs-to-fight-spacex-20150518-gh4i4x|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In 2014, no commercial launches were booked to fly on the Russian [[Proton (rocket family)|Proton]] rocket.<ref name=sn20150112/>
+In 2014 no commercial launches were booked to fly on the Russian [[Proton (rocket family)|Proton]] rocket.<ref name=sn20150112/>
 SpaceX also put an end to the [[United Launch Alliance]] (ULA) monopoly of U.S. military payloads when it began to compete for national security 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/lockheed-boeing-rocket-venture-needs-commercial-orders-survive-205416832--finance.html|title=Lockheed-Boeing rocket venture needs commercial orders to survive|author=Andrea Shalal|date=May 21, 2015|publisher=Yahoo|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305042600/https://www.yahoo.com/news/lockheed-boeing-rocket-venture-needs-commercial-orders-survive-205416832--finance.html|url-status=live}}</ref> To that end, ULA announced a major restructuring of processes and workforce in order to decrease launch costs by half.<ref name="dbj20141016">{{cite web|author=Greg Avery|title=ULA plans new rocket, restructuring to cut launch costs in half|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/boosters_bits/2014/10/exclusive-ula-plans-a-new-rocket-restructuring-to.html|publisher=Denver Business Journal|date=December 14, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315142232/http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/boosters_bits/2014/10/exclusive-ula-plans-a-new-rocket-restructuring-to.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="lat20141212">{{cite web|author=Melody Petersen|title=Congress OKs bill banning purchases of Russian-made rocket engines|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-russian-rocket-ban-20141213-story.html|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=October 16, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2017|archive-date=March 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307165553/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-russian-rocket-ban-20141213-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
-Congressional testimony by SpaceX in 2017 suggested that the NASA [[Space Act Agreement]] process of "setting only a high-level requirement for cargo transport to the space station [while] leaving the details to industry" had allowed SpaceX to design and develop the Falcon 9 rocket on its own at a substantially lower cost. According to NASA's own independently verified numbers, SpaceX's total development cost for both the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets was estimated at approximately US$390 million. In 2011, NASA estimated that it would have cost the agency about US$4 billion to develop a rocket like the Falcon 9 booster based upon NASA's traditional contracting processes, about ten times more.<ref name=":5">{{cite web |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20170008895.pdf|title=An Assessment of Cost Improvements in the NASA COTS/CRS Program and Implications for Future NASA Missions|last=Zapata|first=Edgar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617200937/https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20170008895.pdf|archive-date=June 17, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
+Congressional testimony by SpaceX in 2017 suggested that the NASA [[Space Act Agreement]] process of "setting only a high-level requirement for cargo transport to the space station [while] leaving the details to industry" had allowed SpaceX to design and develop the Falcon 9 rocket on its own at a substantially lower cost. According to NASA's own independently verified numbers, SpaceX's total development cost for both the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets was estimated at approximately US$390 million. In 2011 NASA estimated that it would have cost the agency about US$4 billion to develop a rocket like the Falcon 9 booster based upon NASA's traditional contracting processes, about ten times more.<ref name=":5">{{cite web |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20170008895.pdf|title=An Assessment of Cost Improvements in the NASA COTS/CRS Program and Implications for Future NASA Missions|last=Zapata|first=Edgar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617200937/https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20170008895.pdf|archive-date=June 17, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
 In the first quarter of 2020, SpaceX launched over {{cvt|61000|kg}} of payload mass to orbit while all Chinese, European, and Russian launchers placed approximately {{cvt|21000|kg}}, {{cvt|16000|kg}} and {{cvt|13000|kg}} in orbit, respectively, with all other launch providers launching approximately {{cvt|15000|kg}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1250526319819063297 |first=Michael|last=Sheetz|work=CNBC space reporter|title=SpaceX launched the most mass to orbit in the first quarter of 2020—nearly three times as much China, which was the second highest and just ahead of Russia|access-date=April 15, 2020|archive-date=April 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417030715/https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1250526319819063297|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In May 2020, NASA's 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.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Berger|first1=Eric|title=Forget Dragon, the Falcon 9 rocket is the secret sauce of SpaceX's success|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/06/forget-dragon-the-falcon-9-rocket-is-the-secret-sauce-of-spacexs-success/|publisher=«ars «technica|access-date=21 August 2020|archive-date=August 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817223027/https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/06/forget-dragon-the-falcon-9-rocket-is-the-secret-sauce-of-spacexs-success/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In May 2020 NASA's 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.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Berger|first1=Eric|title=Forget Dragon, the Falcon 9 rocket is the secret sauce of SpaceX's success|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/06/forget-dragon-the-falcon-9-rocket-is-the-secret-sauce-of-spacexs-success/|publisher=«ars «technica|access-date=21 August 2020|archive-date=August 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817223027/https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/06/forget-dragon-the-falcon-9-rocket-is-the-secret-sauce-of-spacexs-success/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 == Board of directors ==

v t e Elon Musk
Companies	Zip2 X.com PayPal SpaceX (Starlink) Tesla, Inc. Tesla Energy criticism TSLAQ lawsuits OpenAI Neuralink The Boring Company Boring test tunnel SolarCity Thud X Corp. Twitter, Inc. Twitter Twitter under Elon Musk Acquisition of Twitter Twitter Files December 2022 suspensions Block in Brazil xAI
Depictions	Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future (2015) "The Musk Who Fell to Earth" (2015) The Space Barons (2018) Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors (2019) "One Crew over the Crewcoo's Morty" (2019) Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century (2021) Return to Space (2022) Elon Musk's Crash Course (2022) Elon Musk (2023)
People	Family of Elon Musk Maye Musk (mother) Kimbal Musk (brother) Tosca Musk (sister) Joshua N. Haldeman (grandfather) Lyndon Rive (cousin) Justine Musk (first wife) Talulah Riley (second wife) Grimes (partner) Shivon Zilis (partner)
Related	America PAC Astra Nova School Hyperloop Views Awards and honors Legal affairs Wealth Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster Elon Musk filmography ElonJet Billionaire space race Texas Institute of Technology and Science Department of Government Efficiency
Category

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	Germany United States Czech Republic Norway Israel

Revision as of 10:31, 22 March 2021

History

2001–2004: Founding

2005–2009: Falcon 1 and first orbital launches

2010–2012: Falcon 9, Dragon, and NASA contracts

2013–2015: Commercial launches and rapid growth

2015–2017: Reusability milestones

2017–2018: Leading global commercial launch provider

2019–present: Starship, Starlink, and first crewed launches

Summary of achievements

Hardware

Launch vehicles

Rocket engines

Dragon spacecraft

Autonomous spaceport drone ships

Starship

Starlink

Other projects

Facilities

Headquarters, manufacturing, and refurbishment facilities

Development and test facilities

Launch facilities

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Vandenberg Air Force Base

Kennedy Space Center

Boca Chica, Texas

Satellite prototyping facility

Launch contracts

NASA

COTS

Commercial cargo

Commercial crew

National defense

Space Adventures

Criticism and controversies

Starlink

Armenian protests against Turkish satellite launch

Launch market competition and pricing pressure

Board of directors

See also

References

Further reading

External links