Fri, Mar 16, 2012
Founded In 2002, The Company Has Moved To The Fore Of The Commercial Space Industry
Ten years ago on March 14th, SpaceX was founded with the goal of helping make the human race a multi-planetary species. The company says it remains firmly committed to this goal.
Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, opening its first manufacturing facility in El Segundo – at the center of Southern California’s aerospace industry. In 2006, NASA awarded SpaceX a contract under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program to develop the capability to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station.
SpaceX’s Falcon 1 rocket became the 1st liquid fueled rocket developed by a private company to reach Earth orbit, and in 2008, NASA selected SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft to take over the job of transporting cargo to and from the Space Station from the retiring space shuttle. While initial flights will focus on cargo, Falcon 9 and Dragon were designed from the beginning to transport crew.
In 2010, SpaceX launched the first flight of Falcon 9, one of the most advanced rockets in the world. The first launch achieved a nearly perfect insertion of the second stage and Dragon spacecraft qualification unit into the targeted 155 mile circular orbit. Also in 2010, the second flight of Falcon 9 orbited the first operational Dragon spacecraft under the NASA COTS program, and SpaceX became the first private company to recover a spacecraft from Earth orbit—a feat previously only accomplished by a few nations.
SpaceX says the last 10 years have been an incredible experience and the next 10 promise to be just as exciting. They anxiously anticipate their first upcoming mission to Station, Falcon Heavy, and progress in preparing Dragon to transport crew. SpaceX says it would would like to thank NASA, its customers, supporters, and those who believe in what we are working so hard to accomplish. They look forward to an exciting future. (Images: Top, SpaceX artist's rendering of Dragon spacecraft. Bottom, Falcon 9 first launch ANN staff photo)
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