15 years ago, SpaceX was the life of the party at the annual Conference on Small Satellites at Utah State University - literally. Smallsat developers eagerly anticipated the company's Falcon 1 rocket as a low-cost option that didn't require hitching rides on other rockets or going to Russia. SpaceX was a major exhibitor at the conference and also threw one of the biggest evening receptions.But as SpaceX turned its attention to the larger Falcon 9 and programs like commercial cargo and crew, its presence at the conference, and the overall smallsat industry, faded. The Falcon 1 was quietly retired, the booth in the exhibit hall disappeared and other companies took over the party hosting duties. The smallsat field was growing without, rather than because of, SpaceX.
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