SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk and its original founding team.
The company was established as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., commonly shortened to SpaceX. Musk created it with the goal of reducing launch costs and ultimately making human settlement beyond Earth more practical.
SpaceX initially focused on the Falcon 1, a comparatively small orbital rocket. After several unsuccessful attempts, Falcon 1 reached orbit in September 2008, becoming the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to do so. That success helped the company secure NASA work and develop larger launch systems.
SpaceX is sometimes dated from Musk’s earlier Mars-related projects, but the company itself was founded in 2002. Its later programs have included Falcon 9, Dragon, Falcon Heavy and Starship, making it one of the most influential private spaceflight companies.