SUCCESS STORY OF SPACEX
Space exploration technologies corporation doing buisness as SpaceX is a private american aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headquartered at Hawthorne, California. It was founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk with a goal of reducing space transportation cost and enabling colonization of Mars.
The successful startup of this company dates back to May 6 2002, 16 years ago. The story is quite different from other startup. To make a reusable rocket and launch system and make it cost effective was the prime motive of Elon Musk. In 2001. Musk conceptualized Mars oasis, a project to land a miniature experimental greenhouse and grow plants on Mars. Musk tried to buy cheap rockets from Russia but returned empty handed after failing to find cheap budget rockets. He was already owner of PayPal and Tesla inc. and he could have given up but he was different. On the flight return, he realised that he himself could start a company that could build the affordable rockets he needed. Musk had discovered his destiny and was on the way to success. His rags to riches journey had started. It would be intriguing to learn about the ideation process that has led him to create ventures that are beyond his own excellence.
He sold PayPal to establish his new company to be named SpaceX. After arriving home Musk calculated raw materials for building a rocket that was actually the three percent of the sales price of a rocket that time. By applying vertical integration producing around 85% of launch hardware in house, and the modular approach from software engineering, SpaceX could cut launch price by a factor of ten and still enjoy a 70% gross margin. In early 2002, Musk was seeking staff for his new company SpaceX. Elon approached rocket engineer Tom Mueller, who agreed to work with Musk and thus, SpaceX was horned. it's first warehouse was So Segundo, California's warehouse. In the beginning, in 2002, SpaceX only had 160 employees. When the company started Musk stated that one of his goal was to improve the cost and realiablity of access to space. Elon also said that he believed $500 per pound($1100 per kilogram) or less is very achieveable. It's major goal was to develop a rapidly reusable launch system.
The year 2003 proved to be a happy beginning. The newspaper and the media featured SpaceX as well as Elon Musk calling Musk,' A SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN'. The new startup was the point of discussion in many aspects of the world. He was featured in many interviews too. The new entrepreneur at last declared that SpaceX was to make a new launch system called Falcon. The falcon's main engine named Merlin was almost ready in 2003.
In 2005, SpaceX announced plans to persue a human rated commercial program through the end of decade. The Dragon is a commercial blint come ballistic capsule which is capable of carrying cargo or upto 7 astronaut into orbit and beyond. They also announced that it had been awarded an IDIQ for RSS launch services by USA who's would allow airforce to purchase upto $100 million worth of launches from the company which was one of the main achievement of SpaceX. It was also one of the greatest proceedings in defence contract arena.
In 2006, NASA announced that the company was one of the two selected to provide free and cargo resupply demonstration contracts to ISS under COTS programme. SpaceX demonstrated cargo resupply and eventually crew transportation services using Dragon. In the same year SpaceX had won NASA commercial orbital transportation services (COTS) phase-1. The contract to demonstrate cargo delivery was designed by NASA to provide seed money through SpaceX act agreements developed by SpaceX's exclusive Falcon that had started, where NASA invested more than $396 million while SpaceX self invested more than $500 million.
The year 2008 proved to be a turning point for Elon Musk as well as for SpaceX. SpaceX made the first privately liquid fueled rocket to reach orbit, the Falcon 1 flight 4- on September 28, 2008. Through hard work and sheer determination, it was SpaceX's first landmark achievement that was now noted all over the world. The startup now turned into a successful and profitable company. It was just a month ago that SpaceX and accepted a $20 million investment from the founders fund! Year 2008 also helped SpaceX to raises fund of $1.6 billion as NASA signed it's first CRS contract with SpaceX for twelve cargo transport deliveries, covering deliveries to 2016.
After selling PayPal the Musk earned around $180 million which was to be used for SpaceX. But water the second and third failure they had a very little money left that was enough for fourth flight only, The third failure had lost killed the company. But the privately funded company achieve its second milestone in 9 December of 2010 to successfully launch orbit and recover a spacecraft. This was the first time that a rocket was launched and recovered without burning and that's not all, it could be again used again, A REUSABLE ROCKET! Whenever a rocket comes back in Earth's atmosphere either it burns or is left to land on ocean, but Elon Musk's vision of making such a reusable rocket paid off. The history was made.
But still the Musk was not the king of field. A lot was left to achieve. Money issues continued to haunt him. Launch of Dragon spacecraft to society international space station was postponed for around more than three times. Scheduled launch in 2010 couldn't take place, which later changed to 2011 and then it was due to winter. The date was finally fixed. The selected date was may 7,2011. Despite the postponement, the company had achieved a lot. The company's Falcon-1 , the falcon-9 and it's Dragon capsule was something out of the box and extra ordinary. The SpaceX was providing constant efforts. He was keeping his nose to grindestone to make his company successful. It was taking his blood, sweat and tears! In the same year SpaceX also announced that they were ready to find a reusable launch system technology development program. The progress was unstoppable. The company had started the development of the Falcon heavy, a heavy lift rocket configured using a cluster of three falcon-9. It was to be packed with emmense power. Dragon, after becoming the first commercial aircraft to deliver cargo to international space station. Now being used to regularly resupply international space station. SpaceX was proud to recieve a firm, fixed priced SAA by NASA.
SpaceX was constantly working and achieving. They agian had achieved one of their goal. It too was one of their landmark achievement. SpaceX was now one of the first private company to send a spacecraft to international space station.It was Falcon-9 flight-3, on 25 may,2012. As of may 2012 SpaceX had operated on total funding of approximately $ Billion in their first ten years! The remainder has come from progress payments on long term launch contracts and development programs. And now SpaceX is a proud owner of such hundred contracts! One of their main quality was one of their main quality which led them to unbelievable height was their quality to research for something newer. They. never feared failure. In late 2012, SpaceX began a new testing program about low tempratures, low altitudes and low speed aspects of landing technology. Grasshoppers and Falcon-9 were used for these tests. COTS demo flight-2 launched in may 2012 in which Dragon successfully berthed with the ISS, marking it the first time that a private spacecraft company had achieved this feat.
Again out in consecutive year, SpaceX proved to be successful. It was the first private company to send a satellite in two synchronous orbit i.e. on third December 2013. But success isn't permanent. After every day night comes. The cycle continuous forever. The night came. The SpaceX experienced a setback. In March 2013 a Dragon spacecraft, in orbit developed issues with it thrusters that limited it's control capabilities but SpaceX engineers were able to clear the blockages within a short period of time and the spacecraft was able to successfully complete it's mission to and from the international space station. SpaceX was now also the first company to land and orbital Rocket's first stage on land platform without the fire on any damage to space craft. They were successfully able to have Falcon-9 successfully which was flight-20 on 22 December of 2015. But again it was followed by a traumatic incident. Dragon capsule launched to resupply the ISS, had telemetry readings normal until two minutes and nineteen seconds of flight. When suddenly a loss of helium pressure was detected, after a few seconds a cloud of vapour appeared which exploded along with second stage. The first stage thereafter disintegrated due to aerodynamic forces acting on ittransmitted data till it completely disintegrated. When analysed it was discovered that it was because of the steel structure purchased by a supplier to hold the helium pressure vehicle. Duration to high accelerations it broke off.
The next year SpaceX became the first company to have had a landing of orbital's first stage on ocean without any damage i.e. on 8 April 2016 by falcon-9 flight-23 followed by another setback. Same year a falcon-9 exploded during propellent fill operation for a standard prelaunch static fire test. SpaceX lost the payload, Amos-6 communication satelite worth $200 million due to its destruction. Musk describe it as most difficult and complex failure in history of SpaceX. But SpaceX was possessive. They wanted to correct their mistake. They reviewed nearly 3000 channels of telemetry and video data covering a period of 35-55 milliseconds. The blast was due to liquid oxygen in the propeller which grew too cold and solidified. It ignited the carbon composite helium vehicles. Though not considered an fully unsuccesful flight, it sent the company to 4-month break while they were finding out what went wrong. SpaceX returned to flighting January 2017.
But SpaceX was alive and well. The consequence year SpaceX had their first relaunch and landing of used orbital Rocket! The world was surprised.On the same historic day of 30 March 2017 they successfully controlled the flyback and recovery of a payload fairing with falcon's flight-32. In the same year the achieved their one more goal, the first relight of a commercial cargo spacecraft. Musk says," It was an incredible milestone in history of space." They were stealing hearts of engineers all around the globe. Their first admirer was the NASA. When SpaceX made corrections in Falcon-9 in 2017, NASA said that it would have approximately costed around $4 billion but it was just one-tenth! NASA admirer themselves when they got to know that it was that much low. Falcon-9 boosters were improved by 4-10 times. In September they released images of space suits to be used in cuter missions of Mars exploration project.
SpaceX's most recent achievement to date is it's Falcon heavy's flight test, which had taken place in February 2018 which was the first attempt to launch the Falcon heavy rocket. After the successful launch, the Falcon heavy is now the most powerful operation in the world. The payload dummy was Musk's Tesla roadster sports car, with dummy astronaut named starman in driving seat.
SpaceX is actively pursuing several different research and development programmes,most notable are those to develop reusable launch vehicles, an interplanetary launch system and a global telecommunication network. SpaceX has on occasion developed new engineering development technologies to enable it to pursue it's various goals. Musk's long term vision for the company is the development of technology and reasources suitable for human colonization Mars. He's has expressed his interest in someday travelling to the planet Mars by saying,' I'd like to die on Mars just not on impact.' A rocket every two years of so could provide a base for the people arriving in year 2025 after a launch in 2024. Musk believes that by 2035 at the latest, there will be thousands of rockets flying a million people to Mars, in order to enable a self sustainable human colony. Musk a truly beautiful mind, a lots of milestones and is one of the most successful startup. The success mantra that helped Musk is,
'SUCCESS COMES TO THOSE WHO DARE AND WILL'
