| What? No. Orbital (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_Sciences_Corporation) launched a rocket into space in 1990, entirely privately. France [1], Japan [2], India [3], Israel [4], Iran [5], and even North Korea [6] have developed and launched rockets that successfully put satellites in orbit. I like Elon as much as the next guy, but this mythologizing is just too much. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamant [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda_(rocket_family) [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_Launch_Vehicle [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shavit [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safir_(rocket) [6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unha |
"the four entities in history who have managed to launch a spacecraft into orbit and successfully return it to Earth are the US, Russia, China—and SpaceX"