• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Susan Collins’ Maine concession could leave New England without a Republican in Congress for the first time since the 1850s

2

Billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy’s millions and Greg Abbott’s $106 million war chest couldn’t stop Democrats from flipping Texas and Ohio

3

OpenAI’s hiring of former Army Secretary just 2 months after Pentagon resignation is part of a 'trend' of it pivoting resources to defense projects

1

Susan Collins’ Maine concession could leave New England without a Republican in Congress for the first time since the 1850s

2

Billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy’s millions and Greg Abbott’s $106 million war chest couldn’t stop Democrats from flipping Texas and Ohio

3

OpenAI’s hiring of former Army Secretary just 2 months after Pentagon resignation is part of a 'trend' of it pivoting resources to defense projects
TechSpaceX

7 months into 2022, SpaceX has already flown as many missions as it did in all of 2021

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 18, 2022, 11:28 AM ET
Astronauts in the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft.
In this handout photo provided by NASA, (L-R) ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthais Maurer, NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn, Raja Chari, and Kayla Barron, are seen inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft onboard the SpaceX Shannon recovery ship shortly after having landed in the Gulf of Mexico on May 6, 2022 off the coast of Tampa, Florida.Aubrey Gemignani—NASA/Getty Images
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is having a busy year.

The private rocket service has recorded 31 launches so far in 2021. That’s the same number it launched in all of 2021. And more launches are on the way.

Thank Musk’s Starlink internet service for the rapid-fire pace of launches. So far this year, there have been 17 launches specifically to take the satellites into orbit. Since 2019, the company has been responsible for 52 launches. The latest was Sunday, when a Falcon 9 rocket took another 53 Starlink satellites into space.

At present, there are more than 2,800 of the 580 lb. satellites in orbit. The Federal Communications Commission has given SpaceX approval to send up as many as 4,408. The company, though, is seeking permission to launch 30,000.

Musk plans to use the money generated from Starlink to help fund his long-time dream of colonizing Mars.

SpaceX is currently average more than one launch per week in 2022. At least four more are scheduled before the end of July and another 38 are currently on the schedule through the end of the year.

Despite their busy launch schedule, the employees of SpaceX have not been shy in sharing their thoughts about the company’s founder this year. In a letter addressed to SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell last month, employees said Musk’s behavior on social media was affecting morale and scaring off potential applicants.

“Elon’s behavior in the public sphere is a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for us, particularly in recent weeks,” the letter read. “SpaceX must swiftly and explicitly separate itself from Elon’s personal brand.”

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Recommended For You

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.