Spacex

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) designs, manufactures and launches the world's most advanced rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX builds rockets and spacecraft from the ground up; including electronics, software, vehicle structures, and engines. SpaceX is advancing the boundaries of space technology through its Falcon launch vehicles and Dragon spacecraft. The company's prototype rocket, Falcon1, was the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit. The more powerful Falcon 9 rocket debuted with back-to-back successful flights in June and December of 2010. The December 2010 flight included the first flight of the Dragon spacecraft, making SpaceX the first commercial company to send a spacecraft to orbit and return it safely to Earth. In May 2012, SpaceX again madehistory when its Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial vehicle to successfully attach to the International Space Station. Previously only four governments -- the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency -- had achieved this challenging technical feat. This mission marked a new era in commercial spaceflight, validating the SpaceX business model and reigniting public excitementabout the future of space exploration. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft will take over the job of delivering cargo to and from the International Space Station under a $1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA for a minimum of 12 missions. Although initially carrying cargo, Falcon 9 and Dragon were designed to one day carry astronauts, and cargo flights willprovide valuable experience toward this goal. In April 2011, NASA awarded SpaceX a $75 million contract to prepare Dragon for transporting astronauts into space, and the company has already completed significant milestones as a part of that contract. SpaceX is producing the most advanced launch vehicles in the world, and the international launch market has responded -- commercial launches now representover 60 percent of the company's upcoming missions. In total, the company has approximately $4 billion in contracts and more than 40 launches on its manifest, making SpaceX the world's fastest growing launch services provider. As a result of these successes, the company has been cash flow positive for the last five years. Looking to the future, SpaceX has announced its plans for Falcon Heavy, themost powerful rocket in the world, second only to the Apollo-era Saturn V. Falcon Heavy will be able to carry payloads weighing over 53 metric tons to orbit, offering more than twice the performance of other commercial launch vehicles and making possible missions that were previously unachievable. Long term, SpaceX is working to build vehicles that are fully and rapidly reusable, a key element toradically reducing the cost of spaceflight in order to truly revolutionize space exploration. The Dragon spacecraft can be used for multiple missions to space. SpaceX is also working to make reusable rockets, something that has never been done before and is the most important element to radically reducing the cost of spaceflight. With the Falcon family of launch vehicles, SpaceX is able to offer afull spectrum of light, medium and heavy lift launch capabilities to our customers. We are able to place satellites and other spacecraft into any inclination and altitude, from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit to planetary missions. And we offer open and fixed pricing for such services that is the same for all customers.

The Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are the only US launch vehicleswith true engine out reliability. They are also designed such that all stages are reusable, making them the world's first fully reusable launch vehicles. And our Dragon crew and cargo spacecraft will revolutionize access to space by providing efficient and reliable transport of crew and cargo to the ISS and other LEO destinations. SpaceX’s design and manufacturing facilities are located near the...