Space Exploration Technologies Corp., better known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and artificial intelligence company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the vision of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. Headquartered in Starbase, Texas, SpaceX has made significant strides in rocket propulsion, reusable launch vehicles, human spaceflight, and satellite constellation technology.
SpaceX's achievements include being the first private company to successfully launch and return a spacecraft from Earth orbit, and the first to launch a crewed spacecraft and dock it with the International Space Station (ISS). Its Falcon 9 rocket became the world record holder for the most launches of a single vehicle type in a single year, with 61 launches in 2022. SpaceX is also developing Starship, a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Furthermore, SpaceX operates Starlink, a megaconstellation providing satellite internet service, with approximately 9,633 active satellites as of January 2026.
