SpaceX Progress

Within the last few years, SpaceX has pushed the boundaries of spaceflight and technological advancement. The company has paved the way for all other aerospace enterprises, in part by establishing major government partnerships and engaging in fierce competition with Blue Origins.

From developing the BFR to launching a whopping 14 Falcon 9 rockets, SpaceX is moving forward with plans to get humans to Mars and make space travel more efficient, environmentally friendly, and accessible. And this is fully evident in SpaceX’s launch record.

With such a laundry list of accomplishments, it is no surprise that the company is set to have completed a staggering 19 launches within 2017 alone. Mere decades ago, a single, successful launch was an event causing months of pre- and post-celebration. In fact, SpaceX had previously reached only eight launches in a year. Now, their launch record is likely to jump to nearly 20 — showing just how quickly this field is progressing.

Launch Success

This upcoming Monday, Oct. 30, SpaceX will hopefully complete their 16th successful launch, sending the Koreasat 5A communications satellite into orbit for a South Korean company. After this, it has been said that the company is likely to complete two or more additional launches before the end of the year.

SpaceX hasn’t had a seamless, smooth journey up until this point. Luckily, their missteps have not had fatal consequences, and their transparency and ability to learn from their mistakes has proven to be quite valuable. Previously, they released the video “How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster,” proving that not only can SpaceX CEO Elon Musk learn from previous failures, but he isn’t afraid to embrace them.

SpaceX has been dubbed a “steamroller,” a moniker fitting for a company so seemingly ahead of its competition. While organizations like NASA operate very differently, making it impossible to do a direct comparison, it is no secret that SpaceX is leading the pack of aerospace innovators.