smithsonian.org — September 2026 traffic, keywords & AI visibility

# SpaceX

## About
SpaceX designs and manufactures advanced rockets and spacecraft with a focus on cutting the cost of reaching orbit. They developed the Falcon 9, the first orbital rocket to land and fly again, which changed how launches are priced. Starlink grew out of that same push, putting thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit to deliver broadband almost anywhere. Crew Dragon now carries NASA astronauts to the International Space Station on a regular schedule. The company serves government agencies that need reliable rides and commercial operators who want lower prices per kilogram. Reusability is the core advantage that keeps margins healthy while still beating older expendable systems. Starship is the next step, built to carry people and cargo all the way to the Moon and eventually Mars. Headquarters sits in Hawthorne, California, where engineers test hardware in large hangars and on nearby pads. Over thirteen thousand people work across launch sites in Florida, Texas, and California. The long-term plan stays fixed on making life multiplanetary rather than just selling launches. Early contracts with NASA gave the cash flow to prove reusability at scale. Today the manifest stays full years ahead with both government and private payloads. Crewed flights have become almost routine, which was unthinkable a decade ago. Starlink terminals now reach remote villages,