SpaceX finances ‘on a knife edge’ following disastrous rocket explosion – and Elon Musk is relying on satellite internet service being a success to fund his Mars plans, leaked figures show Elon Musk watched in horror as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 burst into flames and rained debris over the Atlantic Ocean in 2015. The botched takeoff led to delayed launches, hindered the firm’s ability to fulfill contracts and contributed to annual loss and drops in revenue.