Elon Musk – Milestones
Key milestones and important events in Elon Musk's history.
Showing 27 milestones for Elon Musk
Starship achieves first successful orbital flight (Flight 14)
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 14 reaches orbit and deploys 26 Starlink V3 satellites in a key test milestone.
www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-starship-megarocket-flight-14-orbital-launch-successFounded xAI
Musk launches xAI, an artificial intelligence startup intended to develop an alternative to existing large language models.
www.reuters.com/technology/elon-musks-ai-firm-xai-launches-website-2023-07-12/Completed acquisition of Twitter (now X)
Musk completes his US$44 billion acquisition of Twitter, later rebranding the platform as X.
www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418091/000119312522272772/d411753d8k.htmCrew Dragon Demo-2 launches first crewed mission
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission launches two NASA astronauts to the ISS, the company’s first crewed flight.
www.nasa.gov/history/crew-dragon-demo-2/Falcon Heavy conducts first successful test flight
Falcon Heavy, SpaceX’s heavy-lift rocket, launches on its first successful test flight from Kennedy Space Center.
www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/falcon-heavy-test-launch.htmlFounded The Boring Company
Musk founds The Boring Company to develop tunneling technology and underground transport systems.
everything.explained.today/The_Boring_Company/Tesla acquires SolarCity
Tesla completes its acquisition of SolarCity in an all-stock deal valued at about US$2.6 billion.
web.archive.org/web/20210429040308/https:/www.reuters.com/article/us-solarcity-m-a-tesla-idUSKCN10C26OHosts first Hyperloop pod competition
SpaceX hosts the first Hyperloop Pod Competition for student teams on its test track in Hawthorne, California.
www.teslarati.com/the-boring-company-lvcc-loop-las-vegas/Co-founded Neuralink
Musk co-founds Neuralink, a neurotechnology company developing implantable brain–computer interfaces.
www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-neuralink-gets-fda-approval-for-human-trial-of-its-brain-implant-5dd3f5a9Co-founded OpenAI
Musk co-founds OpenAI, a non-profit artificial intelligence research organization.
openai.com/index/initial-supporters/First successful Falcon 9 first-stage landing
SpaceX successfully lands a Falcon 9 first stage back at Cape Canaveral, demonstrating vertical rocket reusability.
www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/falcon-heavy-test-launch.htmlUnveils Hyperloop high-speed transport concept
Musk publishes the Hyperloop alpha whitepaper proposing a high-speed tube transport system between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/blog_images/hyperloop-alpha.pdfTesla begins Model S deliveries
Tesla delivers the first Model S sedans to customers in the United States.
www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/business/tesla-earnings-profit.htmlDragon spacecraft first berths with ISS
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft becomes the first commercial vehicle to berth with the International Space Station.
www.nasa.gov/history/crew-dragon-demo-2/Awarded NASA Commercial Resupply Services contract
NASA awards SpaceX a US$1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services contract for 12 cargo missions to the ISS.
www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/sp-2014-617-1.pdfBecame CEO and product architect of Tesla
During the global financial crisis, Musk assumes the roles of CEO and product architect at Tesla.
www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/business/tesla-earnings-profit.htmlFalcon 1 achieves first successful orbit
SpaceX’s Falcon 1 rocket becomes the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach Earth orbit.
www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r1975ded7oNASA awards COTS development contract to SpaceX
NASA selects SpaceX for a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement to develop cargo delivery to the ISS.
www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/sp-2014-617-1.pdfProvides concept and initial funding for SolarCity
Musk provides the initial concept and capital for SolarCity, co-founded by his cousins Lyndon and Peter Rive.
www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hy-tesla-solarcity-20160623-snap-story.htmlLed Tesla Series A investment and joined board
Musk leads Tesla’s Series A funding round and joins its board of directors as chairman.
www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/business/tesla-earnings-profit.htmlPayPal acquired by eBay
eBay completes its acquisition of PayPal in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at about US$1.5 billion.
www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1103415/000091205702037693/a2090698zex-99_1.htmFounded SpaceX
Musk founds Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) to develop reusable launch vehicles.
www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r1975ded7oBecame a U.S. citizen
Elon Musk becomes a naturalized citizen of the United States.
www.cpcglobal.org/publications/Elon%20Musk%20By%20Ashlee%20Vance.pdfX.com merged with Confinity to form PayPal
X.com merges with Confinity, creating the company that becomes PayPal.
www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1103415/000091205702030120/a2085776zex-10_27.htmCo-founded X.com
Elon Musk co-founds X.com, an online financial services and payments company.
www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1103415/000091205702037693/a2090698zex-99_1.htmSold Zip2 to Compaq
Compaq agrees to acquire Zip2 for about US$307 million in cash.
www.nytimes.com/1999/02/17/business/company-news-compaq-to-pay-307-million-for-zip2.htmlFounded Zip2
Elon Musk and his brother Kimbal found Zip2, a web software company.
www.nytimes.com/1999/02/17/business/company-news-compaq-to-pay-307-million-for-zip2.html