Oct 14, 2024
By: Ankush Banerjee
Credit: iStock
SpaceX just achieved a massive space milestone by catching its Starship Super Heavy booster, furthering its legacy of “firsts” in space exploration and reusable rocket technology. Here are 8 of the most significant achievements that set SpaceX apart:
Credit: iStock
Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach Earth orbit.
Credit: iStock
SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft docked with the ISS, a milestone for commercial spaceflight.
Credit: NASA
Falcon 9 successfully landed its first stage booster on solid ground, marking the first recovery of an orbital-class rocket.
Credit: NASA
SpaceX achieved a sea landing on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You,” proving remote landing capabilities.
Credit: NASA
SpaceX reused an orbital-class rocket, with a previously flown Falcon 9 booster successfully launching and landing again.
Credit: NASA
The Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission marked the first time a private company sent astronauts into orbit.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
The Inspiration4 mission carried four civilians into Earth orbit, achieving the first all-civilian mission.
Credit: NASA
SpaceX became the first to successfully catch a booster with its Starship Super Heavy, using a catch mechanism rather than a traditional landing platform.
Credit: @SpaceX/via X