![On May 29, 2014, SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk (not pictured) unveiled the company's first manned spacecraft, Dragon V2, at a press conference in Hawthorne, Calif., on May 29, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/spacex-dragon-v2-spacecraft.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
By TIME Staff
![Deep Space Observatory SpaceX embarked on its first deep space mission with the launch of this Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket on Feb. 11, 2015 at Cape Canaveral, Fla., after two previous failed attempts.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/spacex-falcon-9-rocket-launch.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![On May 29, 2014, SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk (not pictured) unveiled the company's first manned spacecraft, Dragon V2, at a press conference in Hawthorne, Calif., on May 29, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/spacex-dragon-v2-spacecraft.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SpaceX A rocket carrying the SpaceX Dragon ship lifts off from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on April 18, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/spacex-falcon9-dragon-launch-2014.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Falcon 9 awaits its upcoming launch in SpaceX's hangar with landing legs attached on March 12, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/falcon9-spacex-launch-elon-musk1.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![JANUARY 6, 2014 PHOTO CREDIT — SPACEX
FALCON 9 THAICOM LAUNCH SpaceX's Falcon 9 launches with Thailand’s Thaicom 6 satellite on Jan. 6, 2014 from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex-40 in Cape Canaveral, Fla.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-42.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SpaceX's Falcon 9 and SES 8 launch from SpaceX's launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Nov. 28, 2013.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-20.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SpaceX's Falcon 9 rolls out of the hangar for SES 8 on Nov. 28, 2013.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-02.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![A Falcon 9 rocket carrying a small science satellite for Canada is seen as it is launched from a newly refurbished launch pad in Vandenberg Air Force Station A Falcon 9 rocket carrying a small science satellite for Canada is launched from a newly refurbished launch pad in Vandenberg Air Force Station in California, on Sept. 29, 2013.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-11.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SpaceX's reusable rocket prototype, Grasshopper, completes a 325 meter hop on June 14, 2013 before smoothly landing back on the pad.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-40.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![MAY 27, 2013 PHOTO CREDIT — SPACEX
SPACEX FAIRING
SpaceX Fairing SpaceX's fairing on May 27, 2013.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-01.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![APRIL 13, 2013 PHOTO CREDIT — SPACEX
CRS-2 | DRAGON ON RECOVERY BOAT SpaceX's Dragon on the recovery boat on April 13, 2013.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-25.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SpaceX's Dragon is grappled by the International Space Station on April 13, 2013.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-26.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![MARCH 8, 2013 PHOTO CREDIT — SPACEX
F9 LEAVING HANGAR AT CAPE SpaceX's F9 rocket leaves the hangar at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on March 8, 2013.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-22.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Nine Merlin engines for the inaugural Falcon 9 flight, ready for integration onto the thrust structure, on March 8, 2013.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-38.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk, view the historic Dragon capsule at the SpaceX facility in McGregor Texas From left: NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk view the historic Dragon capsule](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-04.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Handout image of the unmanned Dragon capsule floating in the Pacific Ocean SpaceX's unmanned Dragon capsule floats in the Pacific Ocean off of Baja California on May 31, 2012.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-05.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![With the Earth's horizon as a backdrop, the SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is seen berthed to the International Space Station. SpaceX's Dragon commercial cargo craft is berthed to the International Space Station on May 25, 2012.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-08.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SpaceX A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft blasts off from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on May 22, 2012.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-34.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![The SpaceX Falcon 9 test rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral The SpaceX Falcon 9 test rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on May 22, 2012.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-10.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SpaceX'S Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft lift off from Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station In United States On December 08, 2010- SpaceX'S Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft lift off from Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Dec. 8, 2010.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-35.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![U.S. President Barack Obama and Head of SpaceX Elon Musk tour Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral From left: U.S. President Barack Obama and Head of SpaceX Elon Musk tour Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on April 15, 2010.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/spacex-15.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SpaceX On April 22, 2008, Musk's company landed NASA's launch services contract for Falcon 1 and 9 rockets. Here, the SpaceX factory in Los Angeles is shown on Nov. 21, 2008.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/spacex-factory-2008.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
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