SpaceX is a space transportation company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk.
SpaceX headquarters, as well as production facilities and mission control, are located in Hawthorne, California.
The company operates rocket testing facilities near McGregor, Texas and near Brownsville, Texas.
SpaceX currently operates launch pads at Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force base.
Early Falcon 1 test flights occurred at Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
In addition to launch vehicles, SpaceX has developed the Dragon space station re-supply vehicle.
The company has a contract with NASA to periodically fly supplies to the International Space Station.
SpaceX has developed a three-core rocket known as the Falcon Heavy.
The large rocket includes three modified Falcon 9 first stages and is one of the most powerful rockets currently in service.
The company has also developed a crewed spacecraft, known as Crew Dragon.
Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program and is used to transport astronauts to the International Space Station.
The two-stage Falcon 1 rocket used RP-1 and LOX as propellants. A single Merlin engine powered the first stage, while a Kestral engine powered the second stage. Both engines were designed and built by SpaceX.
Five Falcon 1 rockets were launched between 2006 and 2009. The first three flights ended in failure, while the last two were successful. All flights were launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
Falcon 9
Falcon 9 is a two stage space launch vehicle developed by SpaceX. Both stages are fueled with RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen.
The first stage is propelled by nine Merlin engines, while the second stage uses a single Merlin engine modified for use in the upper stage.
SpaceX builds both stages in-house at their production facility in Hawthorne, California.
Stages are test-fired at a facility near McGregor, Texas, before shipping to Cape Canaveral or Vandenberg Air Force base for launch.
The first Falcon 9 orbital mission was flown in June 2010.
SpaceX is developing technology to allow reuse of Falcon rocket first stages.
Falcon 9 v1.1
First flown in September, 2013, The Falcon 9 version 1.1 (right) featured significantly improved performance.
Upgrades included lengthened propellant tanks, upgraded engines, and a new thrust structure.
The first stage was designed to perform a controlled reentry and propulsive landing after completing its mission.
The first stage rocket arrangement changed from a three-by-three grid layout to a circular layout of eight engines surrounding a center engine.
Fifteen Falcon 9 1.1 rockets flew before beign replaced by the improved Falcon 9 FT.
Falcon 9 FT
The Falcon 9 FT, sometimes referred to as "Full Thrust" or version 1.2, was first flown in December 2015.
Fuel capacity was increased through the use of densified propellants and a slightly stretched second stage.
The upgrade also incorporated uprated engines and improved landing legs.
Falcon 9 Block-5
First flown in May, 2018, the Falcon 9 Block-5 incorporated modifications allowing more easier re-use of the first stage.
Falcon 9 First Stage Recovery Testing
First Stage Recovery Tests Left to right, Grasshopper, Falcon 9R, Falcon 9FT launch configuration and after recovery. (View Larger Version)
SpaceX has always believed rocket reuse was important for achieving their future goals.
When experiments using parachute aided recovery, conducted on early Falcon missions,
were not successful, plans were made to investigate propulsive landing.
To conduct propulsive landing experiments, a pair of test vehicles, known as Grasshopper and Falcon 9R
where built and tested at the SpaceX facility in McGregor Texas.
The first successful stage recovery, on an operational mission, occurred in December 2015 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Boost Back Burn
On missions attempting to return to launch site, a boost back burn is performed.
After stage separation, the first stage uses gas jets to flip over, orienting itself toward its landing site.
A main engine burn is conducted to cancel the downrange momentum and propel the rocket toward the planned landing site.
Reentry Burn
As the rocket falls toward the atmosphere, the stage reorientates itself to point its engines into the direction of flight.
A burn is conducted to slow the rockets descent, reducing atmospheric heating.
As denser atmosphere is encountered, four grid fins, located on the interstage, help control the rockets attitude and trajectory.
Landing Burn
The rocket is in free-fall for most of the descent through the atmosphere.
As the landing site is neared, a final burn is initiated to slow the rocket.
Seconds before touchdown, four landing legs are deployed.
Landing Sites
When fuel margins are sufficient, a boost-back burn and return to launch site landing is possible.
However some missions, such as those launching heavy GTO payloads, may have insufficient fuel margins to conduct the boost-back burn.
In these cases, recovery may be accomplished downrange by landing on specially constructed drone ships at sea.
Early landing experiments, with operational boosters, occurred at sea. Either over open ocean, or on drone ships.
The first successful landing occurred on land at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral.
The East coast drone ship, servicing missions launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy Space Center, is named "Of Course I Still Love You".
On the West coast, "Just Read The Instructions" supports mission lunched from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft
Dragon Spacecraft
A frequent payload for Falcon 9 is the Dragon spacecraft.
Developed in conjunction with NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program,
the Dragon capsule is capable of carrying both pressurized and unpressurized cargo to the International Space Station.
At the end of each mission, the spacecraft can return pressurized cargo back to Earth.
SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft
Crew Dragon Spacecraft
Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program and is used to transport astronauts to the International Space Station.
An orbital test flight, including docking at the ISS, was successfully completed in March, 2019.
The first crewed mission to the ISS, SpX-DM2, was launched in May, 2020.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches
Flight
Launch Date
Launch Site
Ver.
Primary Payload
Mission
Launcher Results
93
3 Sept 2020
KSC LC-39A
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
92
30 Aug 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
SAOCOM 1B
Launch of Argentine Earth observation satellite.
Success
91
18 Aug 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Starlink
Launch of 58 Starlink comsats and secondary payloads.
Success
90
7 Aug 2020
KSC LC-39A
B5
Starlink
Launch of 57 Starlink comsats and secondary payloads.
Success
89
20 July 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
ANASIS-II
Launch of South Korean military satellite.
Success
88
30 June 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
GPS III
GPS satellite deployment.
Success
87
13 June 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Starlink
Launch of 58 Starlink comsats and secondary payloads.
Success
86
3 June 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
85
30 May 2020
KSC LC-39A
B5
Crew Dragon
SpX-DM2, First crewed test flight of Dragon 2.
Success
84
22 Apr 2020
KSC LC-39A
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
83
18 Mar 2020
KSC LC-39A
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
82
7 Mar 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Dragon
CRS-20, Resupply of ISS.
Success
81
17 Feb 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
80
29 Jan 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
79
19 Jan 2020
KSC LC-39A
B5
Crew Dragon
In-flight abort test.Suborbital.
Success
78
7 Jan 2020
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
77
17 Dec 2019
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
JCSat-18 / Kacific 1
GTO mission.
Success
76
5 Dec 2019
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Dragon
CRS-19, Resupply of ISS.
Success
75
11 Nov 2019
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
74
6 Aug 2019
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
AMOS-17
GTO mission.
Success
73
25 Jul 2019
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Dragon
CRS-18, Resupply of ISS.
Success
72
12 Jun 2019
VAFB SLC-4E
B5
RADARSAT
Launch of 3 satellites.
Success
71
24 May 2019
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Starlink
Launch of 60 Starlink comsats.
Success
70
4 May 2019
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Dragon
CRS-17, Resupply of ISS.
Success
69
2 Mar 2019
KSC LC-39A
B5
Crew Dragon
SpX-DM1, Test flight of crew capsule.
Success
68
22 Feb 2019
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Nusantara Satu Beresheet
Launch of Indonesian comsat and a Moon lander.
Success
67
11 Jan 2019
VAFB SLC-4E
B5
Iridium NEXT
Launch of 10 Iridium comsats.
Success
66
23 Dec 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
GPS III
GPS satellite deployment.
Success
65
5 Dec 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Dragon
CRS-16, Resupply of ISS.
Success
64
3 Dec 2018
VAFB SLC-4E
B5
SSO-A (SmallSat Express)
Deployment of 64 small satellites.
Success
63
15 Nov 2018
KSC LC-39A
B5
Es'hail 2
GTO mission.
Success
62
7 Oct 2018
VAFB SLC-4E
B5
SAOCOM 1A
SSO mission.
Success
61
10 Sep 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Telstar 18V
GTO mission.
Success
60
7 Aug 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Merah Putih
GTO mission.
Success
59
25 Jul 2018
VAFB SLC-4E
B5
Iridium NEXT
Launch of 10 Iridium comsats.
Success
58
22 Jul 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
B5
Telstar 19V
GTO mission.
Success
57
29 Jun 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Dragon
CRS-15, Resupply of ISS.
Success
56
4 Jun 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
SES-12
GTO mission.
Success
55
22 May 2018
VAFB SLC-4E
FT
Iridium NEXT GRACE-FO
Launch of five Iridium comsats and and two GRACE satellites.
Success
54
11 May 2018
KSC LC-39A
B5
Bangabandhu-1
GTO mission.
Success
53
18 Apr 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
TESS
Launch of exoplanet survey satellite.
Success
52
2 Apr 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Dragon
CRS-14, Resupply of ISS.
Success
51
30 Mar 2018
VAFB SLC-4E
FT
Iridium NEXT
Launch of ten Iridium comsats.
Success
50
6 Mar 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Hispasat 30W-6
GTO mission.
Success
49
22 Feb 2018
VAFB SLC-4E
FT
Paz / Tintin A & B
LEO mission.
Success
48
31 Jan 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
GovSat-1 / SES-16
GTO mission.
Success
47
8 Jan 2018
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Zuma
Classified mission.
Success
46
23 Dec 2017
VAFB SLC-4E
FT
Iridium NEXT
Launch of ten Iridium comsats.
Success
45
15 Dec 2017
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Dragon
CRS-13, Resupply of ISS.
Success
44
30 Oct 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
Koreasat 5A
GTO mission.
Success
43
11 Oct 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
SES-11 / EchoStar 105
GTO mission.
Success
42
9 Oct 2017
VAFB SLC-4E
FT
Iridium NEXT
Launch of ten Iridium comsats.
Success
41
7 Sep 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
X-37B
Launch of OTV-5.
Success
40
24 Aug 2017
VAFB SLC-4E
FT
FORMOSAT-5
Launch of remote sensing satellite.
Success
39
14 Aug 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
Dragon
CRS-12, Resupply of ISS.
Success
38
5 Jul 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
Intelsat 35e
GTO mission.
Success
37
25 Jun 2017
VAFB SLC-4E
FT
Iridium NEXT
Launch of ten Iridium comsats.
Success
36
23 Jun 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
BulgariaSat-1
GTO mission.
Success
35
3 Jun 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
Dragon
CRS-11, Resupply of ISS.
Success
34
15 May 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
Inmarsat-5 F4
GTO mission.
Success
33
1 May 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
NROL-76
Classified NRO mission.
Success
32
30 Mar 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
SES-10
GTO mission.
Success
31
16 Mar 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
EchoStar 23
GTO mission.
Success
30
19 Feb 2017
KSC LC-39A
FT
Dragon
CRS-10, Resupply of ISS.
Success
29
14 Jan 2017
VAFB SLC-4E
FT
Iridium NEXT
Launch of ten Iridium comsats.
Success
--
-----------
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Amos-6
GTO mission.
Failure during pre-flight testing on 1 Sep 2016.
28
14 Aug 2016
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
JCSAT-16
GTO mission.
Success
27
18 Jul 2016
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Dragon
CRS-9, Resupply of ISS.
Success
26
15 Jun 2016
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
ABS-2A Eutelsat 117
GTO mission.
Success
25
27 May 2016
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Thaicom-8
GTO mission.
Success
24
6 May 2016
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
JCSAT-14
GTO mission.
Success
23
8 Apr 2016
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
Dragon
CRS-8, Resupply of ISS.
Success
22
4 Mar 2016
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
SES-9
GTO mission.
Success
21
17 Jan 2016
VAFB SLC-4E
1.1
Jason-3
Launch of LEO Earth observation spacecraft.
Success
20
21 Dec 2015
CCAFS SLC-40
FT
OG2 (11)
Launch of eleven ORBCOMM comsats. First stage landed successfully at CCAFS.
Success
19
28 Jun 2015
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
Dragon
CRS-7, Attempted ISS resupply mission.
Launch vehicle failure.
18
27 Apr 2015
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
TurkmenAlem 52E
GTO mission.
Success
17
14 Apr 2015
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
Dragon
CRS-6, Resupply of ISS.
Success
16
1 Mar 2015
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
ABS-3A Eutelsat 115
Launch of two communication satellites to GTO.
Success
15
11 Feb 2015
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
DSCOVR
Launch of the Deep Space Climate Observatory.
Success
14
10 Jan 2015
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
Dragon
CRS-5, Resupply of ISS.
Success
13
21 Sep 2014
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
Dragon
CRS-4, Resupply of ISS.
Success
12
7 Sep 2014
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
AsiaSat 6
GTO mission.
Success
11
5 Aug 2014
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
AsiaSat 8
GTO mission.
Success
10
14 Jul 2014
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
OG2 (6)
Launch of six ORBCOMM communication satellites to LEO.
Success
9
18 Apr 2014
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
Dragon
CRS-3, Resupply of ISS.
Success
8
6 Jan 2014
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
Thaicom-6
GTO mission.
Success
7
3 Dec 2013
CCAFS SLC-40
1.1
SES-8
First GTO mission for SpaceX.
Success
6
29 Sep 2013
VAFB SLC-4E
1.1
CASSIOPE
First flight of version 1.1 rocket.
Success
5
1 Mar 2013
CCAFS SLC-40
1.0
Dragon
CRS-2, Resupply of ISS.
Success
4
7 Oct 2012
CCAFS SLC-40
1.0
Dragon
CRS-1, Resupply of ISS.
Success
3
22 May 2012
CCAFS SLC-40
1.0
Dragon
COTS-2+, First Dragon berthing with ISS.
Success
2
8 Dec 2010
CCAFS SLC-40
1.0
Dragon
COTS-1, First flight of Dragon Capsule.
Success
1
4 Jun 2010
CCAFS SLC-40
1.0
---
Test flight of Falcon 9 rocket.
Success
NOTES: CCAFS SLC-40 = Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Space Launch Complex 40. VAFB SLC-4E = Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 4E. KSC LC-39A = Kennedy Space Center, Space Launch Complex 39A.
For more information about Falcon 9 and Dragon, visit the SpaceX website.
The Falcon Heavy is a heavy-lift launch vehicle based on Falcon 9 technology.
The rocket features a modified Falcon 9 first stage, with two additional stages used as strap-on boosters.
The second stage and fairing is similar to those used on the existing Falcon 9.
For most payloads, the three booster stages will be recoverable.
First Test Flight
The first Falcon Heavy test flight was flown on 6 Feb 2018.
The successful mission was launched from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center and placed the payload,
a Tesla roadster, into a heliocentric orbit with an aphelion beyond the orbit of Mars.
Attempts were made to recover all three boosters. Each of the side boosters returned to successful landings at Cape Canaveral.
The planned core stage landing, on a barge at sea, failed.
Both side boosters were making their 2nd flight, each having launched payloads on previous missions.
Future Uses
Future payloads may include large communications satellites, Department of Defense payloads, and interplanetary missions.
