2002 - SpaceX is founded in May 2002 by Elon Musk using $100 million of his own money and by December had raised $12.1 million from Founders Fund bringing SpaceX’s valuation to $18.8 million. President George W. Bush also signs the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act which provided the basic legal framework for commercial human spaceflight.
2005 - SpaceX continues to raise money, bringing the companies valuation to $70.5 million. SpaceX also builds and attempts its first launch of the Falcon1 rocket. The November 25 and December 19 attempts both failed before lift off was accomplished.
2006 - NASA launched the Commercial Orbital Transportation Service (COTS) to coordinate delivery of crew and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) by private companies. SpaceX fails a third and fourth attempt to launch Falcon 1 this time losing the rocket into the ocean. However by August, SpaceX announces that it was selected by NASA for its COTS program and awarded $278 million in funding.
2007 - Space X has a successful test of its Merlin Engine but the Falcon 1 still fails its attempts to reach orbit. However the company manages to raise its valuation to $316.5 million and then moves its headquarters to El Segundo, California with the purpose of building the huge Falcon 9 rocket.
2008 - SpaceX is trusted to deliver the US Air Force Trailblazer satellite, CubeSat nano satellite and the NASA NanoSail-D to space. The Falcon 1 though has a catastrophic failure and was a total loss. Even with the loss, SpaceX continues to generate money, bringing its valuation to $544.4 million. This funded the first successful privately funded liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit with the Falcon 1 Flight 4. For this NASA awarded SpaceX with the Commercial Resupply Services contract for $1.6 billion.
2010 - Falcon 9 Flight 1 was a 100% success in testing the Falcon 9 for launch and in December Falcon 9 Flight 2 is the first privately funded company to launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft under the COTS program. These successes bring the valuation of the company to over $1 billion.
2013 - Falcon 9 Flight 5 delivers more goods to the ISS and is the fourth successful flight of the unmanned spacecraft. The Grasshopper reusable rocket has a successful initial flight. Falcon 9 Flight 6 successfully launches an array of payloads into space to include the CASSIOPE satellite. Falcon 9 Flight 7 marks the first time a privately funded company launched a satellite into geosynchronous orbit.
2014 - Falcon 9 Flight 8-13 are successful, and the company opens its new South Texas Launch Site. NASA awards SpaceX with $2.6 billion contract to send American astronauts into space. The Crew Dragon is revealed as the companies manned spacecraft.
2015 - Falcon 9 Flight 14-21 are a success, sending more satellites, food and vehicles into space. Rigorous testing of manned space flight protection and procedures is conducted. SpaceX raises its valuation to $10 billion.
2018 - Falcon 9 Flight 49-68 are successful. SpaceX successfully conducts launch of Falcon Heavy carrying a Tesla Roadster and “StarMan”, destined to orbit mars over a billion-years. The US Air Force partners with SpaceX to launch three classified satellites. SpaceX begins taking reservations to fly aboard the companies new rocket the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR). SpaceX also gets Federal Communications Commission clearance to launch more than 7,000 satellites to enhance internet speeds. Falcon Heavy Flight 1 SpaceX valuation is at $24.7 billion
2019 - Falcon 9 Flight 69-78 are a success. SpaceX successfully launches Falcon Heavy Flight 2-3 are successful. The Starhopper successfully conducts several flights to include a take-off, horizontal flight and landing on a separate landing pad. The Crew Dragon capsule explodes being carried out of the hanger. SpaceX valuation is at $34.1 billion
2020 - Falcon 9 Flight 79-92 are successful. SpaceX continues to receive contracts from NASA and communications companies. NASA tasks SpaceX with developing a lunar starship to transport astronauts around and to the Moon’s surface. Crew Dragon Demo 2 launches the first crewed rocket to the ISS and marks the first American crewed mission in years since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program.