SpaceX發展史

SpaceX的公司史，埃隆·馬斯克所創立的商業航天公司的發展史。

## 概述

2001年，馬斯克提出了「火星綠洲」概念，想在火星放置微型實驗溫室，用火星土壤種植物。他說：「因此這將是生命旅行過的最遠的旅程。」（"so this would be the furthest that life's ever travelled"）試圖重拾公眾對太空探索的興趣並增加NASA預算。

2001年8月，馬斯克在第四屆火星協會大會與Michael D. Griffin進行了次全體會議，正式宣布這個送往火星的溫室計劃。

2001年10月，馬斯克與吉姆·坎特雷爾和阿德奧·雷西前往莫斯科購買翻新的第聶伯運載火箭。

該小組會見了拉沃奇金設計局和ISC Kosmotras等。然而，根據坎特雷爾的說法，馬斯克被一位俄羅斯首席設計師吐口水，該團隊空手而歸。

2002年2月 In February 2002, the group returned to Russia to look for three ICBMs, bringing , who had worked for the CIA's venture capital arm, IQT電信; NASA's 噴氣推進實驗室; and was just leaving 軌道科學公司, a maker of satellites and spacecraft. The group met again with , and were offered one rocket for US$8 million. However, this was seen by Musk as too expensive and Musk left the meeting. While on the return flight Musk realized that he could start a company which could build the affordable rockets he needed. According to early Tesla and SpaceX investor , Musk calculated that the raw materials for building a rocket actually were only 3 percent of the sales price of a rocket at the time. By applying 垂直整合 — principally for cost reasons; around 85% of the entire Falcon/Dragon vehicle is produced in-house — and the modular approach from software engineering (獵鷹9號運載火箭 uses 9 of the Merlin engines, which were tested on the single-engine 獵鷹1號運載火箭, 獵鷹重型運載火箭 uses three Falcon 9 booster stages), SpaceX could cut launch price by a factor of ten and still enjoy a 70 percent 毛利率. For example, SpaceX had to design a machine that could 攪拌摩擦焊 鋁鋰合金 for the 機體 of the 獵鷹9號運載火箭 because such a machine did not exist. According to Musk SpaceX started with the 最簡可行產品 (Falcon 1 with about half a ton to orbit) instead of building a more complex and riskier launch vehicle, which could have failed and bankrupted the company.

In early 2002 Musk was seeking staff for the new company and approached rocket engineer 湯姆·穆勒, who would eventually become SpaceX's CTO of Propulsion until 2020. SpaceX was first headquartered in a 75,000 square feet warehouse in 埃爾塞貢多 (加利福尼亞州). Musk decided SpaceX's first rocket would be named 獵鷹1號運載火箭, after their first contract with the and as a nod to Star Wars' 千年隼號. Musk planned for Falcon 1's first launch to occur in November 2003, 15 months after the company started.

2005年1月，SpaceX購買了10%股份。By March 2006, Musk had invested 100 million in SpaceX.

2008年8月4日，SpaceX又接受了創始人基金2000萬美元的投資。In early 2012, approximately two-thirds of the company was owned by its founder and his 70 million shares were then estimated to be worth $875 million on 私人股權投資, which roughly valued SpaceX at $1.3 billion as of February 2012. After the flight in May 2012, the company private equity valuation nearly doubled to $2.4 billion.

On 16 June 2009 SpaceX announced the opening of its Astronaut Safety and Mission Assurance Department. It hired former 美國國家航空航天局 astronaut to oversee the department as a vice president of the company. However, it has since been reported that the former astronaut subsequently left SpaceX in late 2011. No reason was given and no replacement in that position has been announced.

2012年，SpaceX宣傳獵鷹9號的發射價格為5700萬美元，而阿麗亞娜航太公司則宣傳每次發射的發射價格為1.37億美元

In 2012 an 首次公開募股 (IPO) was perceived as possible by the end of 2013, but then Musk stated in June 2013 that he planned to hold off any potential IPO until after the "SpaceX星艦研發歷史 is flying regularly", and this was reiterated in 2015 indicating that it would be many years before SpaceX would become a publicly traded company, where Musk stated that "I just don’t want SpaceX to be controlled by some that would milk it for near-term revenue"

<image>

<image>

The company has grown rapidly since it was founded, growing from 160 employees in November 2005 to more than 500 by July 2008, to over 1,100 in 2010, 1,800 in early 2012,

and 3,000 by early 2013. The company had grown to 3,800 employees and contractors by October 2013, and had "nearly 5,000" in late 2015 and February 2016.

After the setback of the 卡納維拉爾角空軍基地40號航太發射台, SpaceX successfully got back to flying on 14 January 2017, with its 獵鷹9號與獵鷹重型運載火箭發射任務列表. On February 19, 2017, a Falcon 9 carrying conducted the first launch from Kennedy Space Center's 甘迺迪航太中心39號發射台A. The first stage of the launch planned on the end of February, 2017 will be the recovered and refurbished one from April 8, 2016.

2019年5月23日，SpaceX部署了其計劃約12,000顆衛星的60顆星鏈 - which it aims to use to provide low latency network communications via a large constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO).

2020年5月30日，SpaceX成功發射兩名NASA宇航員：道格拉斯·赫爾利和，into orbit on a 龍飛船2號 spacecraft during 載人龍飛船示範2號, making SpaceX the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station and marking the first crewed launch from American soil in 9 years. The mission launched from of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX Demo-2 successfully docked with the 國際空間站 on May 31, 2020 and returned the astronauts safely on Aug 2, 2020.

## 目標

馬斯克表示，Musk has stated that one of his goals is to improve the cost and reliability of access to 外層空間, ultimately by a factor of ten. In 2004 the company plans called for "development of a heavy lift product and even a super-heavy, if there is customer demand", with each size increase resulting in a significant decrease in cost per pound to orbit. Musk said: "I believe $500 per pound ($1,100/kg) or less is very achievable."

A major goal of SpaceX has been to develop a 可重複使用發射系統技術研發項目. , including a test program of the low-altitude, low-speed 垂直起降 (火箭) (VTVL) technology demonstrator rocket, and a high-altitude, high-speed 獵鷹9號運載火箭 post-mission booster return test campaign where—beginning in mid-2013, with the sixth overall flight of Falcon 9—every 多節火箭 will be instrumented and equipped as a controlled descent test vehicle to accomplish . SpaceX COO 格溫·肖特威爾 said at the Singapore Satellite Industry Forum in summer 2013 "If we get this reusable technology right, and we’re trying very hard to get this right, we’re looking at launches to be in the 5 to 7 million range, which would really change things dramatically."

Musk stated in a 2011 interview that he hopes to send humans to Mars' surface within 10–20 years. In 2010, Musk's calculations convinced him that the colonization of Mars was possible. In June 2013, Musk used the descriptor SpaceX星艦研發歷史 to refer to the 資本 新產品開發 to design and build a spaceflight system of 火箭發動機s, 運載火箭s and 宇宙飛船s to 航太 載人航天 to Mars and return to 地球. In March 2014, COO 格溫·肖特威爾 said that once the Falcon Heavy and Dragon 2 crew version are flying, the focus for the company engineering team will be on developing the technology to support the transport infrastructure necessary for Mars missions.

In August 2020, SpaceX indicated it was looking to build a resort in South Texas with the intent to turn "Boca Chica into a '21st century Spaceport'".

## 成就

SpaceX的主要成就包括：

- 第一支私人資助的液體燃料火箭進入軌道（獵鷹1號）（2008年9月28日）
- 第一家成功發射（獵鷹9號）、軌道和回收太空飛行器（龍）的私人公司（2010年12月9日）
- 第一家將太空飛行器（龍）送往國際空間站的私人公司（2012年5月25日）
- 第一家將衛星送入地球同步軌道的私人公司（2013年12月3日）
- 第一家將探測器發射到地球軌道以外的私人公司（深空氣候觀測站，2015年2月11日）
- 第一級軌道火箭著陸回地球（獵鷹9號獵鷹9號20號航班）（2015年12月22日 1:39 UTC）
- 第一級軌道火箭（獵鷹9號）的水上著陸（2016年4月8日 20:53 UTC）
- 截至2020年最強大的火箭（Falcon Heavy，2018年2月6日首飛）
- 第一家將人類送入軌道的私營公司（載人天龍號太空船示範2號，2020年5月30日）

## 挫折

On March 1, 2013, a 龍飛船 in 軌道 (力學) developed problems with its thrusters. Due to blocked fuel valves, the craft was unable to properly control itself. SpaceX engineers were able to remotely clear the blockages. Because of this, it arrived at the International Space Station one day later than expected. Since spacecraft like the Dragon were classified as 彈藥, and considered weapons under 國際武器貿易條例 until November 2014, SpaceX Mission controllers were unable to release more information to the public.

On June 28, 2015 SpaceX CRS-7 launched a 獵鷹9號運載火箭 carrying an unmanned 龍飛船 capsule intended to take supplies to the International Space Station. 2 minutes and 19 seconds into the flight a cloud of vapor was seen by the tracking camera forming outside the craft. A few seconds afterward there was a loss of pressure in the 氦 tank, after which they exploded, causing a complete failure of the mission. The 軟體 was not programmed to deploy the parachute for the 龍飛船 capsule after a launch mishap, therefore the Dragon broke upon impact. The problem was discovered to be a failed 2 ft (61 cm) steel strut, purchased from a supplier, on a helium 壓力容器, which broke due to the force of acceleration. This caused a breach and allowed helium to escape causing the loss of the spacecraft, which exploded. The software issue was also fixed; in addition, an analysis of the entire program was carried out in order to ensure proper abort mechanisms are in place for future rockets and their payload. SpaceX President 格溫·肖特威爾 stated that in terms of the differences between the six previous successful 獵鷹9號運載火箭 Launches, "there’s nothing that stands out as being different for any particular flight." Though the craft was set to bring a resupply of food and water to the ISS, the crew members had enough supplies to last another 4 months before another resupply, which would end up being the Russian Progress 60P vehicle. Student science experiments, as well as a and other miscellaneous cargo, were lost due to SpaceX CRS-7 failure as well.

2016年9月1日，卡納維拉爾角空軍基地40號航太發射台獵鷹9全推力運載火箭濕彩排標準發射前推進劑填充爆炸。On September 1, 2016, a Falcon 9 Full Thrust launch vehicle exploded during a propellant fill operation for a standard pre-launch 濕彩排 at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40. There were no reported injuries, as the area was cleared for the test. However the payload, the communications satellite valued at $200 million, was destroyed. Spacecom claims its contract, since the launch failed, allows it to choose to receive $50 million or a future flight at no cost. Musk described the event as the "most difficult and complex failure" ever in SpaceX's 14-year history; SpaceX reviewed nearly 3,000 channels of telemetry and video data covering a period of 35–55 milliseconds for the postmortem. In late September, SpaceX stated that interim results suggested that a major breach of the cryogenic helium system of the second stage rocket had occurred. In November 2016, Musk reported the explosion was caused by the liquid oxygen used as the oxidizer turning so cold that it became a solid, and it may have breached the helium pressure vessels which are immersed in the liquid oxygen. The vessels are . The solid oxygen, under pressure, could have ignited with the carbon material causing the explosion. SpaceX concluded its investigation on 2 January 2017 then successfully restarted its business of launching rockets in January 2017.

## 資金

SpaceX is privately funded. SpaceX developed its first launch vehicle—獵鷹1號運載火箭—and three 火箭發動機s—默林火箭發動機, Kestrel (火箭發動機), and —completely with 資本. SpaceX contracted with the 美國聯邦政府 for a portion of the development funding for the 獵鷹9號運載火箭 launch vehicle, which uses a modified version of the Merlin rocket engine. SpaceX is developing the 獵鷹重型運載火箭 launch vehicle, the 猛禽火箭發動機, and a set of 可重複使用發射系統技術研發項目 with private capital.

, SpaceX had operated on total funding of approximately $1 billion in its first ten years of operation. Of this, private equity provided about $200M, with Musk investing approximately $100M and other investors having put in about $100M (, 德豐傑投資, ...). The remainder has come from progress payments on long-term launch contracts and development contracts. , NASA had put in about $400–500M of this amount, with most of that as progress payments on launch contracts. By May 2012, SpaceX had contracts for 40 launch missions, and each of those contracts provide down payments at contract signing, plus many are paying progress payments as launch vehicle components are built in advance of mission launch, driven in part by US accounting rules for 收入確認.

2012年8月In August 2012, SpaceX signed a large development contract with NASA to design and develop a crew-carrying 宇宙飛船 for the "商業載人計劃", in order to re-enable the launch of astronauts from U.S. soil by 2017. Two other companies, Boeing and 內華達山脈公司, received similar development contracts. Advances made by all three companies under Space Act Agreements through NASA's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (商業載人計劃) initiative are intended to ultimately lead to the availability of commercial human spaceflight services for both government and commercial customers. As part of this agreement, SpaceX was awarded a contract worth up to $440 million for contract deliverables between 2012 and May 2014.

At the end of 2012 SpaceX had over 40 launches on its manifest, representing about $4 billion in contract revenue. Many of those contracts were already making progress payments to SpaceX, with both commercial and 美國聯邦政府 (NASA/DOD) customers., SpaceX has a total of 50 future launches under contract, two-thirds of them are for commercial customers. In late 2013, space industry media began to comment on the phenomenon that SpaceX 競爭 (經濟學) the major competitors in the commercial 通訊衛星 launch market—the 亞利安5號運載火箭 and 質子M型運載火箭—at which time SpaceX had at least 10 further geostationary orbit flights on its books.

In January 2015 SpaceX raised $1 billion in funding from Google and Fidelity, in exchange for 8.333% of the company, establishing the company valuation at approximately $12 billion. Google and Fidelity joined the then current investorship group of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Founders Fund, Valor Equity Partners and Capricorn. Although the investment was thought to be related to SpaceX's launch of a 星鏈 effort, 格溫·肖特威爾 said in March 2015 that the investment was not specifically for the global internet project. Google had been searching for a satellite internet partner since the split with O3b網路 and 一網公司.

In 2020, Abu Dhabi-based IHC or International Holding Group bought 94% stakes in a private equity fund namely, Falcon CI IV LP, which had invested in SpaceX. Following the purchase of stakes, SpaceX completed $850 million worth of equity funding round, taking the total value of the company to nearly $74 billion in March 2021. On the other hand, the stock price of IHC also surged to 75%, as of April 2021. IHC is led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan as the President of the company, who also heads IHC's shareholder, Royal Group. Sheikh Tahnoon, who is the National Security Adviser of UAE also heads several other Abu Dhabi-based ventures like the International Golden Group, which has infamous ties to the Libyan and Yemeni civil war.