Top 10 SpaceX & NASA Partnership Launch

The collaboration between SpaceX and NASA has been a topic of much discussion, especially due to their successful and dependable launches. These missions, explained simply below, highlight how SpaceX has transformed space exploration while working closely with NASA.

Demo-2

On May 30, 2020, SpaceX made history by launching NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station (ISS) using a Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon spacecraft. This launch took place from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and was the first human spaceflight from American soil since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011. For nearly a decade, the U.S. had relied on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft, but Demo-2 brought back America’s ability to send its own astronauts into space.

This mission was a key test of the reusable Crew Dragon, designed under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. After docking with the ISS, Hurley and Behnken spent 62 days in orbit and safely returned to Earth, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico on August 2, 2020. Demo-2 proved SpaceX’s technology and showed that private companies could play a big role in human spaceflight.

Crew-1

Following the success of Demo-2, SpaceX launched the Crew-1 mission on November 15, 2020. Four astronauts NASA’s Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with JAXA’s Soichi Noguchi traveled to the ISS. This was the first fully operational flight under the Commercial Crew Program, demonstrating SpaceX’s ability to handle long-term missions. The crew stayed on the ISS for six months, conducting experiments and maintenance, before returning on May 2, 2021.

A standout feature of Crew-1 was the reuse of the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, which had previously flown on Demo-2. This highlighted SpaceX’s focus on cost-effective and sustainable space travel.

CRS-1

SpaceX’s partnership with NASA began earlier with the CRS-1 mission on October 8, 2012. Using a Falcon 9 rocket, the Dragon spacecraft delivered about 400 kilograms of supplies to the ISS, including food, scientific equipment, and spare parts. This was the first mission under NASA’s multi-billion-dollar Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract.

After connecting to the ISS, Dragon returned to Earth on October 28, 2012, with over 750 kilograms of cargo, landing in the Pacific Ocean. As the first private company to deliver cargo to the ISS, SpaceX laid the foundation for a strong and lasting partnership with NASA.

Crew-10

On March 14, 2025, SpaceX launched the Crew-10 mission to address a critical situation at the ISS. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore had been stuck in space for nine months due to the failure of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Launched with a Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon, this mission carried four astronauts three from NASA and one from JAXA to rescue the stranded crew and bring them home.

Boeing’s Starliner, meant to return Williams and Wilmore after their June 2024 test flight, failed due to thruster issues and helium leaks, prompting NASA to rely on SpaceX. As of March 26, 2025, Crew-10 is ongoing, with the crew expected to return later in the year. This mission showcases SpaceX’s reliability and adaptability.

Falcon Heavy

On February 6, 2018, SpaceX introduced the Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful operational rocket at the time, capable of lifting 64 metric tons into low Earth orbit. Launched from Kennedy Space Center, it carried an unusual payload: Elon Musk’s personal Tesla Roadster with a dummy named “Starman” in the driver’s seat. The car, featuring a “Don’t Panic” sign (a reference to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), played David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” as it entered an elliptical orbit around the Sun.

The launch was a technical success, with two of the three first-stage boosters landing back on Earth together. Falcon Heavy proved SpaceX’s ability to take on ambitious deep-space missions.

Crew-3

Launched on November 10, 2021, Crew-3 sent four astronauts NASA’s Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, along with ESA’s Matthias Maurer to the ISS for a 200-day stay. Beyond regular tasks and research, the crew achieved a milestone by growing and harvesting chili peppers in space as part of NASA’s Plant Habitat-04 experiment. This was the first time food plants were grown on the ISS, a step toward sustainable food production for future long missions, like those to Mars. The crew returned on May 6, 2022.

Psyche

On October 13, 2023, a Falcon Heavy rocket launched NASA’s Psyche mission from Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft is traveling to the asteroid 16 Psyche, a metal-rich object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists believe it might be the exposed core of an early planet, offering insights into the solar system’s origins and asteroid mining possibilities.

Set to arrive in 2029, the spacecraft will study Psyche’s composition, magnetic field, and surface for two years. This mission highlights Falcon Heavy’s role in supporting deep-space science.

Crew-9

On September 28, 2024, SpaceX launched Crew-9 with just two astronauts NASA’s Anne McClain and Roscosmos’ Kirill Peskov to the ISS. Unlike typical missions with four crew members, this smaller team was sent to prepare for rescuing stranded astronauts, likely linked to the Crew-10 situation. The reduced crew size allowed SpaceX to optimize space and resources for the return trip, showing their flexibility.

Europa Clipper

On October 10, 2024, Falcon Heavy launched NASA’s Europa Clipper to Jupiter’s moon Europa. This mission aims to explore the possibility of life in Europa’s subsurface ocean, hidden beneath its icy surface. Equipped with advanced tools, the spacecraft will conduct 50 flybys after arriving in 2030, studying water plumes and the moon’s makeup. Europa Clipper underlines SpaceX’s growing role in planetary science.

DART

On November 23, 2021, a Falcon 9 launched NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) from Vandenberg Space Force Base. DART was humanity’s first attempt to change an asteroid’s path, testing a concept for planetary defense. On September 26, 2022, the spacecraft deliberately crashed into Dimorphos, a moonlet of the asteroid Didymos, shortening its orbit by 32 minutes a major success. This mission demonstrated SpaceX’s precision in high-stakes experiments.