SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space transportation, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary.

SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company ever to return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, which it first accomplished in December 2010. The company made history again in May 2012 when its Dragon spacecraft attached to the International Space Station, exchanged cargo payloads, and returned safely to Earth — a technically challenging feat previously accomplished only by governments. Since then Dragon has delivered cargo to and from the space station multiple times, providing regular cargo resupply missions for NASA.

SpaceX believes a fully and rapidly reusable rocket is the pivotal breakthrough needed to substantially reduce the cost of space access. The majority of the launch cost comes from building the rocket, which historically has flown only once.

Compare that to a commercial airliner – each new plane costs about the same as Falcon 9 but can fly multiple times per day and conduct tens of thousands of flights over its lifetime. Following the commercial model, a rapidly reusable space launch vehicle could reduce the cost of traveling to space by a hundredfold.

While most rockets are designed to burn up on reentry, SpaceX rockets can not only withstand reentry but can also successfully land back on Earth and refly again.

SpaceX’s family of Falcon launch vehicles are the first and only orbital class rockets capable of reflight. Depending on the performance required for the mission, Falcon lands on one of our autonomous spaceport droneships out on the ocean or one of our landing zones near our launch pads.

Aviation & Aerospace

Industrial

Space

SpaceX

SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, CA, United States

The Washington office focuses on aerospace policy, security, engineering, and compliance within the government sector.

Washington

This department focuses on developing and maintaining systems and software for accurate guidance, navigation, and control of vehicles.

Guidance Navigation Control

This department is responsible for designing, coding, testing, and maintaining software applications.

Software Development

This department focuses on the engineering, design, and testing of components and systems for Starship and Starlink projects.

Starship and Starlink Engineering

This department focuses on the design, testing, and manufacturing of propulsion systems and components to enhance performance and efficiency.

Propulsion Engineering

This department focuses on the design, development, and manufacturing processes of mechanical systems and components.

Engineering and Development

This department focuses on the engineering and operational aspects necessary for the successful launch of projects and initiatives.

Launch Operations

This department focuses on the evaluation and validation of software and hardware systems through rigorous testing and integration processes.

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Other teams

Software Development

Starship and Starlink Engineering

Propulsion Engineering

Engineering and Development

Launch Operations

Integration and Testing