How did SpaceX really start?

“That was not the founding of SpaceX. We were in Russia to negotiate buying some ICBMs and converting them to launch a philanthropic mission to Mars. I later came to realize that the problem wasn’t the will to go to Mars – there is plenty of public interest – but rather that massive advancements were needed in rocket technology.”

— Elon Musk, 21 June 2024 · Post on X ↗