Timeline of SpaceX's trek

— -- 2002

June: Elon Musk forms Space Exploration Technologies Corp., otherwise known as SpaceX.

2003

March: SpaceX successfully fires Falcon rocket main engine.

June: SpaceX opens a Washington office on Capitol Hill.

August: SpaceX successfully test fires Falcon rocket's upper-stage engine.

2006

March 24: Launch of Falcon 1. Rocket fails.

August: SpaceX wins $1.6 billion contract to bring cargo supplies to the space station.

2007

March 21: Second launch of Falcon 1. Failure to reach orbit.

November: SpaceX breaks ground at Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

2008

January: SpaceX completes multiengine test-firing of Falcon 9 rocket.

Aug. 2: Third launch of Falcon 1 ends in failure.

Sept. 28: SpaceX launches Falcon 1 to orbit from the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll site in the Central Pacific.

2009

July 13: Second successful launch of Falcon 1, carrying RazakSat satellite.

2010

June 4: First launch of Falcon 9 rocket. Successful launch.

Dec. 8: SpaceX launches Dragon into orbit around Earth becoming first commercial company to successfully re-enter a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit.

2011

April: SpaceX unveils plans to build a Falcon 9 Heavy rocket.

2012

May 7: SpaceX scheduled to launch Falcon 9 carrying the Dragon capsule on a test flight to the International Space Station.