Is what we are experiencing, at this moment in time,  
the turning point in man's reach for space? 
Going from governments to private companies like yours?
I think we're at the dawn of a new era and it's--
I think it's going to be very exciting.  
What we're hoping to do with Space X 
is to push the envelope 
and provide a reason for people to be excited  
and inspired to be human.
I went to Russia to look at buying a refurbished ICBM 
which is a very trippy experience. 
It was very bizarre. 
Yeah, when I tell people that-- 
they have to, like, what?
It would get people really excited 
and that would recharge human space exploration. 
That was--
You just wanted to get people interested in space again? 
Yes. Yes.
Capture the imagination.
Yes. That was the idea.
The odds of me coming into the rocket business, 
not knowing anything about rockets, 
not having ever built anything,  
I mean, I would have to be insane 
if I thought the odds are in my favor.
Why even begin?
When something is important enough 
you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.
How much of your personal fortune 
have you poured into this?
$100 million.
I think it's important that humanity become 
a multi-planet species. 
I think most people would agree 
that a future where we are a space-faring civilization 
is inspiring and exciting compared with one 
where we are forever confined to Earth 
until some eventual extinction event. 
That's really why I started SpaceX.
How did you get the expertise to be  
the chief technology officer 
of a rocket ship company?
Well, I do have a physics background. 
That's helpful as a foundation. 
And then I read a lot of books 
and talked to a lot of a lot of smart people.
You're self-taught?
Yeah. Well, I-- self-taught, yes, 
meaning I didn't, 
I don't have an aerospace degree.
So, how did you go about acquiring the knowledge?
I read a lot of books,  
talked to a lot of people, 
and have a great team.
Four years after starting, 
SpaceX rolled out its first rocket: 
an unmanned booster called the Falcon 1.
When you had that third failure in a row, 
did you think, "I need to pack this in"?
Never. 
Why not?
I don't ever give up. 
I mean
I'd have to be dead or completely incapacitated.
If that fourth launch hadn't worked, 
that would have been it. 
We would have not had the resources to mount a fifth.
Do you believe that your rocket 
will be the next American rocket 
to take an astronaut into space?
I believe that is the most likely outcome, yes.
There are people who've been
 in the rocketry business for decades 
who say about you 
what you don't know.
Well, if-- I suppose that's true of anyone. 
How can anyone know what they don't know?
But when critics say, "You can't do this,"  
your answer to them is?
We've done it.
You know, there are American heroes 
who don't like this idea?
Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan 
have both testified against commercial space flight  
and the way that you're developing it, 
and I wonder what you think of that.
I was very sad to see that 
because those guys are
 yeah. 
You know, those guys are heroes of mine, 
it's really tough. 
You know, I wish they would come and visit, 
and see the hard work that we're doing here. 
And I think that would change their mind.
They inspired you to do this, didn't they?
Yes.
And to see them casting stones in your direction?
Difficult.
Did you expect them to cheer you on?
Certainly hoping they would. 
What are you trying to prove to them?
What I'm trying to do is 
to make a significant difference in space flight, 
and help make space flight accessible 
to almost anyone. 
And I would hope for as much support 
in that direction as we, as we can receive.
I'm probably not the guy that 
most people would bet on.
Usually.
Who wins?
It's like a little kid 
fighting a bunch of sumo wrestlers. 
Usually, the sumo wrestlers win. 
We're a little scrappy company. 
Every now and again, 
the little scrappy company wins. 
And I think this'll be one of those times. 
