SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is an American space transport company founded by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk. It has developed the Falcon 1 and is developing the Falcon 9, both of which are partially reusable launch vehicles. SpaceX is also developing the Dragon series of spacecraft to be orbited by Falcon 9 launchers. SpaceX designs, tests and fabricates the majority of their components in-house, including the Merlin, Kestre... more

Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is an American space transport company founded by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk. It has developed the Falcon 1 and is developing the Falcon 9, both of which are partially reusable launch vehicles. SpaceX is also developing the Dragon series of spacecraft to be orbited by Falcon 9 launchers. SpaceX designs, tests and fabricates the majority of their components in-house, including the Merlin, Kestrel, and Draco rocket engines. Originally based in El Segundo, SpaceX now operates out of Hawthorne, California. SpaceX was founded in June 2002 by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk who had invested US$100 million of his own money by March 2006. On 4 August 2008, SpaceX accepted a further US$20 million investment from the Founders Fund. SpaceX grew from 160 employees in November 2005 to more than 500 by July 2008. The launch crew in the Marshall Islands has 25 people with 6 in mission control. This small number, compared to similar space launch... less