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SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, initially with a team of just eight people. Musk didn’t step into the role of CEO straight away; he became the Chief Technology Officer because no experienced aerospace professionals were willing to join him. Determined to make space accessible, Musk envisioned launching a small greenhouse to Mars, aiming to rekindle public interest in space exploration.
Early attempts to acquire rockets from Russia proved futile, with laughter and inflated prices thwarting his efforts. Musk’s breakthrough came when he calculated that the high costs weren’t rooted in the raw materials but rather in the manufacturing and operational efficiencies. Determined to cut out middlemen and reduce expenses, he decided to build rockets himself, initiating SpaceX.