SpaceX发展史

SpaceX的公司史，埃隆·马斯克所创立的商业航天公司的发展史。

## 概述

2001年，马斯克提出了“火星绿洲”概念，想在火星放置微型实验温室，用火星土壤种植物。他说：“因此这将是生命旅行过的最远的旅程。”（"so this would be the furthest that life's ever travelled"）试图重拾公众对太空探索的兴趣并增加NASA预算。

2001年8月，马斯克在第四届火星协会大会与Michael D. Griffin进行了次全体会议，正式宣布这个送往火星的温室计划。

2001年10月，马斯克与吉姆·坎特雷尔和阿德奥·雷西前往莫斯科购买翻新的第聂伯运载火箭。

该小组会见了拉沃奇金设计局和ISC Kosmotras等。然而，根据坎特雷尔的说法，马斯克被一位俄罗斯首席设计师吐口水，该团队空手而归。

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电信; NASA's 喷气推进实验室; and was just leaving 轨道科学公司, 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 (猎鹰9号运载火箭 uses 9 of the Merlin engines, which were tested on the single-engine 猎鹰1号运载火箭, 猎鹰重型运载火箭 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 搅拌摩擦焊 铝锂合金 for the 机体 of the 猎鹰9号运载火箭 because such a machine did not exist. According to Musk SpaceX started with the 最简可行产品 (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 汤姆·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 埃尔塞贡多 (加利福尼亚州). Musk decided SpaceX's first rocket would be named 猎鹰1号运载火箭, after their first contract with the and as a nod to Star Wars' 千年隼号. Musk planned for Falcon 1's first launch to occur in November 2003, 15 months after the company started.

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

2008年8月4日，SpaceX又接受了创始人基金2000万美元的投资。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 私人股权投资, 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 美国国家航空航天局 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宣传猎鹰9号的发射价格为5700万美元，而阿丽亚娜航天公司则宣传每次发射的发射价格为1.37亿美元

In 2012 an 首次公开募股 (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星舰研发历史 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"

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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 卡纳维拉尔角空军基地40号航天发射台, SpaceX successfully got back to flying on 14 January 2017, with its 猎鹰9号与猎鹰重型运载火箭发射任务列表. On February 19, 2017, a Falcon 9 carrying conducted the first launch from Kennedy Space Center's 肯尼迪航天中心39号发射台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部署了其计划约12,000颗卫星的60颗星链 - 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成功发射两名NASA宇航员：道格拉斯·赫尔利和，into orbit on a 龙飞船2号 spacecraft during 载人龙飞船示范2号, 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 国际空间站 on May 31, 2020 and returned the astronauts safely on Aug 2, 2020.

## 目标

马斯克表示，Musk has stated that one of his goals is to improve the cost and reliability of access to 外层空间, 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 可重复使用发射系统技术研发项目. , 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 猎鹰9号运载火箭 post-mission booster return test campaign where—beginning in mid-2013, with the sixth overall flight of Falcon 9—every 多节火箭 will be instrumented and equipped as a controlled descent test vehicle to accomplish . SpaceX COO 格温·肖特威尔 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星舰研发历史 to refer to the 资本 新产品开发 to design and build a spaceflight system of 火箭发动机s, 运载火箭s and 宇宙飞船s to 航天 载人航天 to Mars and return to 地球. In March 2014, COO 格温·肖特威尔 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：

- 第一支私人资助的液体燃料火箭进入轨道（猎鹰1号）（2008年9月28日）
- 第一家成功发射（猎鹰9号）、轨道和回收航天器（龙）的私人公司（2010年12月9日）
- 第一家将航天器（龙）送往国际空间站的私人公司（2012年5月25日）
- 第一家将卫星送入地球同步轨道的私人公司（2013年12月3日）
- 第一家将探测器发射到地球轨道以外的私人公司（深空气候观测站，2015年2月11日）
- 第一级轨道火箭着陆回地球（猎鹰9号猎鹰9号20号航班）（2015年12月22日 1:39 UTC）
- 第一级轨道火箭（猎鹰9号）的水上着陆（2016年4月8日 20:53 UTC）
- 截至2020年最强大的火箭（Falcon Heavy，2018年2月6日首飞）
- 第一家将人类送入轨道的私营公司（载人天龙号太空船示范2号，2020年5月30日）

## 挫折

On March 1, 2013, a 龙飞船 in 轨道 (力学) 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 弹药, and considered weapons under 国际武器贸易条例 until November 2014, SpaceX Mission controllers were unable to release more information to the public.

On June 28, 2015 SpaceX CRS-7 launched a 猎鹰9号运载火箭 carrying an unmanned 龙飞船 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 软件 was not programmed to deploy the parachute for the 龙飞船 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 压力容器, 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 格温·肖特威尔 stated that in terms of the differences between the six previous successful 猎鹰9号运载火箭 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，卡纳维拉尔角空军基地40号航天发射台猎鹰9全推力运载火箭湿彩排标准发射前推进剂填充爆炸。On September 1, 2016, a Falcon 9 Full Thrust launch vehicle exploded during a propellant fill operation for a standard pre-launch 湿彩排 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.

## 资金

SpaceX is privately funded. SpaceX developed its first launch vehicle—猎鹰1号运载火箭—and three 火箭发动机s—默林火箭发动机, Kestrel (火箭发动机), and —completely with 资本. SpaceX contracted with the 美国联邦政府 for a portion of the development funding for the 猎鹰9号运载火箭 launch vehicle, which uses a modified version of the Merlin rocket engine. SpaceX is developing the 猎鹰重型运载火箭 launch vehicle, the 猛禽火箭发动机, and a set of 可重复使用发射系统技术研发项目 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 (, 德丰杰投资, ...). 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 收入确认.

2012年8月In August 2012, SpaceX signed a large development contract with NASA to design and develop a crew-carrying 宇宙飞船 for the "商业载人计划", in order to re-enable the launch of astronauts from U.S. soil by 2017. Two other companies, Boeing and 内华达山脉公司, received similar development contracts. Advances made by all three companies under Space Act Agreements through NASA's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (商业载人计划) 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 美国联邦政府 (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 竞争 (经济学) the major competitors in the commercial 通讯卫星 launch market—the 亚利安5号运载火箭 and 质子M型运载火箭—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 星链 effort, 格温·肖特威尔 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网络 and 一网公司.

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.