When I saw Elon Musk tear up on 60 Minutes facing the verbal assault from Gene Cernan, I knew what I had to do.
It has taken a bit of effort over the past months, but today I gave this to Elon and all of the SpaceX team, and it was very well received. =)
This is the last photo, with my colleague Mohanjit Jolly, just before we gift-wrapped it.
The Apollo astronauts composed and signed the following tributes:
“And now, a giant leap for commercial space! Buzz Aldrin, Apollo XI”
“A real breakthrtough – much success on many flights to come! Fred Haise, Apollo 13 LMP”
“Congratulations! A big dream fulfilled! Charlie Duke, Apollo 16 LMP”
“We are so excited to see your great success in an endeavor that demands the very best from each member of the SpaceX team ☆ Alan Bean, Apollo 12 LMP”
“Congratuatlons on a job well done – now the challenge begins. Gene Cernan, Apollo XVII” & Apollo X
“The first of the next giant leap… Dave Scott, Apollo 9 CMP”
“The beginning of an entirely new era! Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 LMP”
“Keep up the good work – Walt Cunningham, Apollo 7”
“Congratulations on your success! Al Worden, Apollo 15”
When I saw 60 Minutes, my first thought was to get Gene Cernan (the last man to walk on the moon) to visit SpaceX as Elon had implored. I have been buying space artifacts from Gene over the past year and knew how to reach him. I tried to encourage him to visit SpaceX, but to no avail. So I flew out to talk to him face to face. I waited until SpaceX became the first private company to bring a spacecraft back from orbit, and the first to bring cargo to the space station, and the first to bring science experiments back. I also gathered signatures and congratulatory sentiments from the other Apollo heroes first.
Some, like Charlie Duke and Al Bean, were effusive in their praise of SpaceX and the next generation of space explorers. Charlie Duke was excited about a future mission to Mars. Al Bean spent 20 minutes writing rough drafts and crafting each word of his message with the SpaceX team in mind.
Then I approached Gene Cernan, and held my breath. I figured it would be a bit more difficult to break from the social proof of his esteemed colleagues. And so he listened. As with every Apollo astronaut who signed this photo, I was able to talk about SpaceX and answer his questions. Gene was interested in who financed SpaceX — what big money interests got it going. I told him that Elon Musk personally financed the company for all of its first $100 million, when no one else would bet on the venture, and he saw it through thick and thin, including the first three launches of the Falcon 1, all of which failed spectacularly. As I told him these stories of heroic entrepreneurship, I could see his mind turning. He found a reconciliation: “I never read any of this in the news. Why doesn’t the press report on this?”
Cernan was the last hold out. Neil Armstrong wrote a strongly worded letter to 60 Minutes saying that he was taken out of context. The program editor agreed: "Armstrong wrote us to say we had not been complete in our description of his testimony. He's right.
Armstrong is, arguably, the greatest explorer of the 20th Century. I
suspect he has admiration for anyone in science or business who sees
new possibilities. He may not be confident in a particular federal
policy, but I imagine Neil Armstrong stands squarely on the side of
those who dare to dream."
— from the CBS Editors Blog
Well, it’s Nikola Tesla’s birthday today, and Elon Musk’s was a few days ago. It seems like a good time to raise a glass to those who think different.
solerena, ~BostonBill~, drona, jeany777, and 36 other people added this photo to their favorites.
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jeany777 10 months ago | reply
Indeed - Absolutely awesome!!! :-)
Kevin Baird 10 months ago | reply
Alan Stern is speaking about this at LASP as I type this. Very optimistic mood about newspace in this room.
solerena 10 months ago | reply
To SJ: A very major step in changing people's minds...interesting how one person can make a difference by communicating to the circles of influence. I would love to see space industry trajectory to be J-shaped!:)
ScottKin2001 10 months ago | reply
@Seatonsnet - The acceleration of technology that was spurned-on by "The Space Race" gave you the the technology you needed to have the capability to make the comment you posted here: the Integrated Circuit is a *direct* outgrowth from the development of the Guidance & Navigation computers used in both the Gemini & Apollo spacecraft. So, if you still feel such remorse for "The Space Race", disconnect from The Internet, toss your Computer & Electronics into an E-Recycling bin or give them to someone who can appreciate them more than you do, and do the rest of the world a favor and try to see a bit farther beyond your own nose. The world's problems that need "fixing" could not be fixed back then and can not be fixed today by throwing money at them - they can only be fixed by a change of heart, a helping hand, a lack of selfishness (which is what the 60's was really all AGAINST: "What ever feels good to YOU, do it!") and a genuine desire to make the opposite side of the world a better place, not just your neighborhood or block or city a better place. More Worldwide Unity was forged by seeing "The Blue Marble" than any single event or act centuries before it, so come down off of your lofty, self-agrandized pedistal @Seatonsnet, drop the "flower-child"/ hippy routine and join the *real* 21st Century.