Facts about SpaceX

From making history to planning on building a colony on Mars, SpaceX has achieved a lot in the field of space exploration and transportation services. An idea which only existed in a kid’s mind is now a multi million company and its still growing. Elon Musk has a dream to land on Mars and he found a way to make it happen.

Founded on 6th May, 2002, SpaceX came a long way crossing milestones and making history. From just an idea to a full fledged space transportation services company, here are a few facts about SpaceX.

1. SpaceX was the first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.

In December 2010, the operational Dragon spacecraft was launched aboard the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Demo Flight 1, the Falcon 9’s second flight, which safely returned to Earth after two orbits, completing all its mission objectives, making it the first private company to do so!

2. SpaceX was the first private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station(ISS).

In December 2012, Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to dock with and deliver cargo to the International Space Station. It has since conducted regular, resupply services to the ISS.

3. Falcon was the first privately funded liquid propellant rocket by SpaceX to reach the earth’s orbit.

On 28th September, 2008, the Falcon 1,  a small rocket capable of placing payloads weighing several hundred kilograms into low earth became the first privately funded, liquid fueled rocket to do so.  Space X successfully launched this project into low Earth orbit for U.S. $ 90 million.

4. SpaceX achieved the world’s first reflight of an orbital class rocket.

On 30th March 2017, SpaceX’s Falcon 9, was launched into space for the second time after April 2016, when it carried out a space station cargo launch for NASA. This was indeed a historic milestone for SpaceX!

5. SpaceX is currently the world’s largest producer of liquid fuel rocket engines.

SpaceX currently manufactures three broad classes of rocket engine inhouse: the kerosene fueled Merlin engines, the methane fueled Raptor engines and the hypergolic fueled Draco/SuperDraco vernier thrusters, making it the world’s most prolific producer of liquid fuel rocket engines.

6. SpaceX was the first private company to send a human rated spacecraft to space.

On March 9th 2019, history was created once again as SpaceX launched its spacecraft, Dragon 2, for its first orbital test. This spaceflight was an uncrewed mission, but capable of sustaining life,  arrived at the ISS a little over 24 hours after the launch.

7. SpaceX used the same launch complex as Apollo 11.

In 2017, SpaceX became a part of a long space tradition when its Falcon 9 rocket took off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, where the Apollo 11 moon mission began.

8. SpaceX also manufactures spacesuits for its astronauts.

SpaceX doesn’t only make big spacecrafts or supplies cargo to the ISS but is also partnering up with NASA to create specialized spacesuits!  SpaceX says that safety and comfort will be among the specialties of these suits.

9. SpaceX offers astronaut taxi services to NASA.

NASA astronauts are taken to space using SpaceX spacecrafts. This is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program which cuts down dependency  on space agencies like Russia’s Roscosmos.

10. SpaceX knows how to travel in speed!

SpaceX claims that they can transport passengers over a distance of 620 kms in just 45 mins, that would usually take over 24 hours by bus. This could be possible through Hyperloop, which is still in its design stages.

SpaceX has not stopped evolving and has conquered many stages of space exploration. The journey does not stop here for SpaceX and in the years to come there would be many more interesting facts.