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| + | An article about <nowiki>[[Elon Musk]]</nowiki> exists at [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk '''Wikipedia''']] |
| − | |name = Elon Musk
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| − | |image = Elon Musk.jpg
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| − | |caption = Musk in 2008.
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| − | |birth_name =
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| − | |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|6|28}}
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| − | |birth_place = Pretoria, South Africa<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1676437/Elon-Musk Elon Musk (American entrepreneur) - Britannica Online Encyclopedia<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
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| − | |citizenship = United States<ref name=i />
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| − | |residence = Bel Air, Los Angeles, California
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| − | |known_for = Co-founder of Zip2, PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla Motors
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| − | |education = B.S. in Physics and B.A. Economics from University of Pennsylvania
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| − | |employer =
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| − | |occupation = Engineer, inventor, entrepreneur
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| − | |title = Chief executive officer|CEO and Chief technical officer|CTO of SpaceX,<br/>Chair (official)|Chairman of SolarCity, <br/>Chief executive officer|CEO of Tesla Motors
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| − | |salary = $1<ref>Ray, Doug, [http://www.penipress.com/2011/02/17/tesla-motors-execs-low-salaries-contrast-with-big-three-automakers-ceo-accepts-1-per-year/ "Tesla Motors execs’ low salaries contrast with big three automakers; CEO accepts $1 per year"], ''Peninsula Press'' (CA), 17 Feb 2011.]</ref>
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| − | |networth = {{Increase}} $2 billion (2012)<ref name=i>[http://www.forbes.com/profile/elon-musk/ Elon Musk - Forbes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
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| − | |party = Independent (politician)|Independent<ref>[http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=Musk&fname=Elon Elon Musk Campaign Contributions and Donations - Huffington Post<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
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| − | |spouse = Justine Musk 2000–2008<br />Talulah Riley 2010–2012
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| − | |children = Five sons
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| − | |signature_alt = Elon Musk
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| − | '''Elon Musk''' (born June 28, 1971) is a South African-born American business magnate, engineer and inventor. He is best known for co-founding SpaceX, Tesla Motors and X.com, which later became Paypal after acquiring the service. He is currently the CEO and Chief Designer of SpaceX, CEO and Product Architect of Tesla Motors and Chairman of SolarCity. While at those companies, Musk co-designed the first viable electric car of the modern era<ref>[http://www.valuewalk.com/2012/05/top-five-experts-on-renewable-energy/ Top Five Experts on Renewable Energy | ValueWalk<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, the Tesla Roadster, a private successor to the Space Shuttle, Falcon 9/Dragon (spacecraft)|Dragon, and the world's largest Internet payment system, PayPal.
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| − | == Early life ==
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| − | Elon Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, the son of a Canadian-American mother and a South African father. His maternal grandfather was from Minnesota, and had moved to Saskatchewan, where Musk's mother was born. His father is an engineer and his mother is an author, nutritionist and model, appearing on the cover of New York Magazine in 2011 and a Time Magazine supplement in 2010<ref>[http://www.mayemusk.com Maye Musk<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
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| − | Musk bought his first computer at age 10 and taught himself how to program;<ref name=belfiore>{{cite book|first=Michael |last=Belfiore|title=Rocketeers|publisher= HarperCollins|year= 2007|isbn= 978-0-06-114902-3 |chapter=Chapter 7: "Orbit on a Shoestring" |pages= 166–195}}</ref> by the age of 12 he sold his first commercial software for about $500, a space game called Blastar.<ref name=belfiore/>
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| − | After matriculating at Pretoria Boys High School he left home in 1988 at the age of 17, without his parents' support and in part because of the prospect of compulsory service in the South African Defence Force|South African military: "I don't have an issue with serving in the military per se, but serving in the South African army suppressing black people just didn't seem like a really good way to spend time".<ref name=belfiore/> He wanted to move to the US, saying: "It is where great things are possible".<ref name=halvorson>{{cite news|last=Halvorson|first= Todd|url=http://www.spacex.com/media.php?page=36|title=Elon Musk Unveiled|publisher=Florida Today|date=2005-01-29|accessdate=2008-12-20}}</ref>
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| − | In 1992, after spending two years at Queen's University, Elon left Canada, pursuing business and physics at the University of Pennsylvania on a full scholarship. From the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, he received an undergraduate degree, and stayed on another year to finish a second bachelor's degree in physics.<ref name=Friedman>{{citation|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/030422-space01.htm|title=Entrepreneur Tries His Midas Touch in Space|date=2003-04-22|first=Josh|last=Friedman|publisher=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> His undergraduate degrees behind him, and drawing inspiration from innovators such as Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla,<ref name=OnInnovation>{{cite video|url=http://www.oninnovation.com/videos/detail.aspx?video=1259&title=Inspirations|title=Inspirations with Elon Musk|publisher="OnInnovation"|accessdate=2010-06-24}}</ref> Musk then considered three areas he wanted to get into that were "important problems that would most affect the future of humanity", as he said later, "One was the Internet, one was renewable energy|clean energy, and one was outer space|space".<ref name=belfiore/>
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| − | == Career ==
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| − | In 1995, Musk went on to a graduate program in applied physics and materials science at Stanford. He stayed two days before dropping out to start Zip2, which provided online content publishing software for news organizations, with his brother Kimbal Musk. In 1999, Compaq's AltaVista division acquired Zip2 for US$307 million in cash and US$34 million in stock options.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.com.com/Compaq+buys+Zip2/2100-1023_3-221675.html|title= Compaq buys Zip2|first= Sandeep |last=Junnarkar|publisher= CNet News.com.com|date= February 16, 1999}}</ref>
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| − | === PayPal ===
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| − | In March 1999, Musk co-founded X.com, an online financial services and e-mail payment company. One year later, in a 50/50 merger<ref>[http://www.quora.com/What-did-Reid-Hoffman-do-at-PayPal/answer/Lee-Hower Lee Hower's answer to What did Reid Hoffman do at PayPal? - Quora<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, X.com acquired Confinity<ref name=elonmuskbiography>{{cite web| url=http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Li-Ou/Musk-Elon.html#b |
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| − | work= Advameg, Inc.| title= Elon Musk Biography | date=August 23, 2005}}</ref>, operator of the then largest auction payments service PayPal#History|PayPal. Musk was a principal architect behind the purchase, which hinged on his belief in the emerging online-transfer, or “Peer-to-peer|P2P” technology.<ref name=elonmuskbiography/> Musk believed that the Confinity sub-brand would become the necessary vehicle to incorporate and develop a person-to-person payment platform within X.com.<ref name=elonmuskbiography/> The combined company at first adopted X.com as the corporate name, but in February 2001, X.com changed its legal name to PayPal Inc. Musk was instrumental in the new PayPal’s focus on a global payment system and departure from the core financial offerings of X.com.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsgs.aspx?subjectid=23511&msgnum=16538&batchsize=10&batchtype=Previous |
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| − | work= American Banker| title= X.com Scraps Bank Strategy To Focus on PayPal System | first= Megan |last= Ptacek | date= October 11, 2000}}</ref>
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| − | PayPal’s early growth was due in large part to a successful viral growth campaign created by Musk.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://articles.latimes.com/2003/apr/22/business/fi-spacex22 | work= Los Angeles Times| title= Entrepreneur Tries His Midas Touch in Space | first= Josh |last= Friedman | date= April 22, 2003}}</ref> In October 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay for US$1.5 billion in stock.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shareholder.com/Common/Edgar/1065088/891618-03-1538/03-00.pdf |publisher=EBay |title=SEC 10-K |format=PDF|date= December 31, 2002}}</ref> Before its sale, Musk, the company's largest shareholder, owned 11.7% of PayPal's shares.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1103415/000091205702009834/a2073071z10-k405.htm |publisher=Paypal |title=SEC 10-K|date= December 31, 2001}}</ref>
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| − | === SpaceX ===
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| − | File:Elon Musk gives tour for President Barack Obama.jpg|thumb|Musk with President Obama at the Falcon 9 launch site in 2010
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| − | In June 2002, Musk founded his third company, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX),<ref>{{cite news
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| − | |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/business/yourmoney/05rocket.html
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| − | |title=A Bold Plan to Go Where Men Have Gone Before
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| − | |date=2006-02-05
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| − | |first= Leslie |last=Wayne
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| − | |work=New York Times
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| − | |accessdate=2010-12-11}}</ref>
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| − | of which he is currently the Chief executive officer|CEO and Chief technical officer|CTO. SpaceX develops and manufactures space launch vehicles with a focus on advancing the state of rocket technology. The company's first two launch vehicles are the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets and its first spacecraft is SpaceX Dragon|Dragon<ref> url=http://www.spacex.com></ref>.
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| − | On 23 December 2008, SpaceX was awarded a $1.6 billion NASA contract for 12 flights of their Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station, replacing the Space Shuttle after it retired in 2011. Initially, Falcon 9/Dragon will replace the cargo transport function of the Shuttle and astronaut transport will be handled by the Soyuz spacecraft|Soyuz. However, SpaceX has designed Falcon 9/Dragon with astronaut transport in mind and the Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee|Augustine commission has recommended that astronaut transport be handled by commercial companies like SpaceX.<ref>{{cite web|first=Christopher|last=Hinton|date=August 13, 2009|publisher=Marketwatch|title=NASA committee seeks more private industry involvement|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nasa-group-seeks-more-private-industry-involvement-2009-08-13}}</ref>
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| − | Musk views space exploration as an important step in expanding—if not preserving—the consciousness of human life.<ref name=esquire>{{cite web |date=October 1, 2008|title=75 most influential people: Elon Musk|publisher=Esquire|url=http://www.esquire.com/features/75-most-influential/elon-musk-1008}}</ref> Musk has said that multiplanetary life may serve as a hedge against threats to the survival of the human species. "An asteroid or a super volcano could destroy us, and we face risks the dinosaurs never saw: An engineered virus, inadvertent creation of a micro black hole, catastrophic global warming or some as-yet-unknown technology could spell the end of us. Humankind evolved over millions of years, but in the last sixty years atomic weaponry created the potential to extinguish ourselves. Sooner or later, we must expand life beyond this green and blue ball—or go extinct." Musk's goal is to reduce the cost of human spaceflight by a factor of 100. He founded SpaceX with $100 million of his early fortune. He remains chief executive officer and chief technology officer of the Hawthorne, Calif.-based company.
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| − | In seven years, SpaceX has designed the family of Falcon launch vehicles and the Dragon multi-purpose spacecraft from the ground-up. In September 2009, SpaceX's Falcon 1 rocket became the first privately funded liquid-fueled vehicle to put a satellite into Earth orbit. NASA selected SpaceX to be part of the first program that entrusts private companies to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. This contract, which has a minimum value of $1.6 billion and a maximum value of $3.1 billion, has become a cornerstone of the Space Station's continued access to cargo delivery and return. In addition to these services, SpaceX's goals include simultaneously lowering the price of orbital spaceflight and improving reliability, both by an order of magnitude, while creating the first fully reusable orbital launch vehicle. In the coming years, Musk will focus on delivering astronauts to the International Space Station, but has stated his personal goal of eventually enabling human exploration and settlement of Mars. In a 2011 interview, he said he hopes to send humans to Mars' surface within 10–20 years.<ref>{{cite news|title=Elon Musk: I'll Put a Man on Mars in 10 Years|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/elon-musk-ill-put-a-man-on-mars-in-10-years-2011-04-22/CCF1FC62-BB0D-4561-938C-DF0DEFAD15BA#!CCF1FC62-BB0D-4561-938C-DF0DEFAD15BA|newspaper=Market Watch|date=2011-04-22|publisher=The Wall Street Journal|location=New York|accessdate=2011-12-01|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/63bvaGo3E|archivedate=2011-12-01}}</ref>.
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| − | On May 25, 2012, the SpaceX Dragon vehicle docked with the ISS, making history as the first commercial company to launch and dock a vehicle to the International Space Station.
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| − | === Tesla Motors ===
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| − | Musk is also co-founder and head of product design at Tesla Motors, where he led development of the Tesla Roadster, the first production electric sports car. Musk's interest in electric vehicles extends long before the creation of Tesla. He originally went to Silicon Valley to do a PhD in Applied Physics and Materials Science at Stanford University|Stanford, where his goal was to create ultracapacitors with enough energy to power electric cars.
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| − | Musk provided almost all of the capital for Tesla's first two funding rounds and continued to invest in every subsequent financing round. As a result of the financial crisis in 2008 and a forced layoff at Tesla,<ref>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Morrison|date=October 15, 2008|url=http://www.nytimes.com/external/venturebeat/2008/10/15/15venturebeat-elon-musk-steps-in-as-ceo-at-tesla-lays-off-99182.html |title=Musk steps in as CEO|publisher= New York Times}}</ref> Musk agreed to assume the additional responsibility of CEO.
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| − | Tesla Motors previously built an electric sports car, the Tesla Roadster, and has shipped over 2,200 vehicles to 31 countries. Tesla expects to be in production with its four-door Tesla Model S|Model S sedan by July 2012 and unveiled its third product the Tesla Model X|Model X, aimed at the SUV/minivan market, on February 9, 2012. Model X is scheduled to begin production in late 2013.
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| − | In addition to its own cars, Tesla sells electric powertrain systems to Daimler AG|Daimler for the Smart EV and Mercedes A-Class E-Cell|Mercedes A Class, and to Toyota for the upcoming electric RAV4. Musk was also able to bring in both companies as long term investors in Tesla.
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| − | Musk is principally responsible for an overarching business strategy that aims to deliver affordable electric vehicles to mass-market consumers. His vision was to create the Tesla Roadster as a means to that end—a car aimed specifically at affluent early adopters, whose purchase of the sports car would subsidize the research and development costs of lower priced models of electric vehicles. From the start of Tesla, Musk has been a champion of the Model S, a four-door family sedan with an anticipated base price of half that of the Roadster. Musk has also favored building a sub-$30,000 subcompact and building and selling electric vehicle powertrain components so that other automakers can produce electric vehicles at affordable prices without having to develop the products in house.<ref>{{cite web|first=Elon|last=Musk|title=The Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan (just between you and me)|date=August 2, 2006|url=http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=8|publisher=Tesla Motors}}</ref> Several mainstream publications have compared him with Henry Ford for his revolutionary work on advanced vehicle powertrains.<ref name=thestar>{{cite news|title=Tesla CEO following in Henry Ford's tracks|date=12 October 2009|first=Tyler|last=Hamilton|publisher=Toronto Star|url=http://www.thestar.com/iphone/article/Business/708847}}</ref>
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| − | He is reported to have a 29% stake in Tesla, which is currently valued above $1 billion, as of March 2012.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.bloomberg.com/video/79124654/ | work=Bloomberg | title=Tesla Should Be Profitable in 2013, CEO Musk Says - Video}}</ref><ref>[http://www.forbes.com/sites/calebmelby/2012/03/12/how-elon-musk-became-a-billionaire-twice-over/ How Elon Musk Became A Billionaire Twice Over - Forbes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
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| − | === SolarCity ===
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| − | Musk provided the initial concept for SolarCity, where he remains the largest shareholder and chairman of the board. SolarCity is the largest provider of solar power systems in the United States. His cousin Lyndon Rive is the CEO and co-founder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.solarcity.com/media-center/management-team.aspx |publisher=SolarCity |title=Management Team}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Kanellos|date=February 15, 2008|title= Newsmaker: Elon Musk on rockets, sports cars, and solar power|url=http://news.cnet.com/Elon-Musk-on-rockets,-sports-cars,-and-solar-power---page-2/2008-11389_3-6230661-2.html|publisher=CNET}}</ref> The underlying motivation for funding both SolarCity and Tesla is to help combat global warming.<ref>{{cite video|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOl_1S10jTk |title=The unveiling of the Tesla Motors Electric Car|publisher= "Autoblog.com" via YouTube|accessdate=2006-07-26}}</ref>
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| − | == Philanthropy ==
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| − | Musk is Chairman of the Musk Foundation, which focuses its philanthropic efforts on science education, pediatric health and clean energy. He is a trustee of the X Prize Foundation, promoting renewable energy technologies. He sits on the boards of The Space Foundation, The National Academies Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, The Planetary Society, and Stanford Engineering Advisory Board. Musk is also a member of the board of trustees of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
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| − | In 2010, Musk began a multi-million dollar program through his foundation to donate solar power systems for critical needs in disaster areas. The first such solar power installation occurred on a hurricane response center in Alabama that had been neglected by state and federal aid. To make it clear that this was not serving Musk's commercial interests, SolarCity noted that it had no present or planned business activity in Alabama.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20101214005733/en/Elon-Musk/SolarCity/Obama |title=Elon Musk and SolarCity Donate Solar Power Project to Coastal Response Center in Alabama|work= Enhanced Online News |publisher=Business Wire}}</ref>
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| − | In 2001, Musk had plans for a "Mars Oasis" project, which would land a miniature experimental greenhouse on Mars, containing food crops growing on Martian regolith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=3698 |title=Elon Musk, Life to Mars Foundation|work= Mars Now, a weekly column |first=John Carter |last=McKnight |publisher=Space Frontier Foundation|date= September 25, 2001}}</ref><ref name=spectrum/> He put this project on hold when he came to the conclusion that the fundamental problem preventing humanity from becoming a true spacefaring civilization was the lack of advancement in rocket technology. He has sought to address this by founding SpaceX to create revolutionary new interplanetary rockets.
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| − | His long term goal is to help humanity through SpaceX by creating a true spacefaring civilization.<ref>{{cite web |author=Elon Musk |title=SpaceX wins NASA competition to replace Space Shuttle |url=http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0606-1206#COTS_update |date=September 8, 2006 |publisher=SpaceX}}</ref> Musk's philosophy and description of what is needed to solve the problem are provided in the IEEE podcast "Elon Musk: a founder of Paypal, Tesla Motors, and SpaceX"<ref>{{cite podcast|first=Tekla|last=Perry|title=Elon Musk: a founder of Paypal, Tesla Motors, and SpaceX|url=http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/podcast/aerospace/space-flight/elon-musk-a-founder-of-paypal-tesla-motors-and-spacex|publisher=IEEE Spectrum}}</ref> and article "Risky Business."<ref name=spectrum>{{cite news|title=Risky Business|first=Elon|last=Musk|date=June 2009|work=IEEE Spectrum|url=http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-flight/risky-business}}</ref>
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| − | In April 2012 Musk joined The Giving Pledge, offering a moral commitment to donate the majority of his fortune to philanthropy.<ref name="forbes_2012">{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/luisakroll/2012/04/19/the-giving-pledge-signs-on-12-more-wealthy-americans-including-teslas-elon-musk-and-home-depots-arthur-blank/ |title=The Giving Pledge Signs On 12 More Wealthy Americans Including Tesla's Elon Musk And Home Depot's Arthur Blank |first= Luisa|last=Kroll |publisher=Forbes|date= April 19, 2012}}</ref> Musk became a member of the campaign first popularized by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates with a class of 12 of America’s wealthiest families and individuals, which included Arthur Blank and Michael Moritz.<ref name="forbes_2012"/>
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| − | == Awards and recognition ==
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| − | Listed as one of Time Magazine's 100 people who most affect the world in 2010. Jon Favreau, director of the Iron Man movies, describes in his article how Musk was the inspiration for Iron_Man_(film)|Favreau's film depiction of genius billionaire Tony Stark.<ref name=time>{{cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1984685_1984745_1985495,00.html | work=Time | title=The 2010 Time 100 | date=April 29, 2010}}</ref>
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| − | The world governing body for aerospace records, Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, presented Musk in 2010 with the highest award in air & space, the FAI Gold Space Medal, for designing the first privately developed rocket to reach orbit. Prior awardees include Neil Armstrong, Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites and John Glenn.
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| − | Named as one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century by ''Esquire (magazine)|Esquire'' magazine.<ref name=esquire/>
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| − | In June 2011, Musk was awarded the $500,000 Heinlein Prize for Advances in Space Commercialization<ref>{{cite web |work=The Heinlein Prize |url=http://www.heinleinprize.com/?p=717 |title=Heinlein Prize Honors Elon Musk of SpaceX |first=Art |last=Dula |date=2011-06-16}}</ref>
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| − | In February 2011, Forbes listed Musk as one of "America's 20 Most Powerful CEOs 40 And Under".<ref name=forbes20110214>
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| − | {{cite news |last=Smith|first=Jacquelyn |title=America's 20 Most Powerful CEOs 40 And Under |url=http://www.forbes.com/2011/02/14/most-powerful-ceos-40-under-leadership-leaders-young.html |accessdate=2011-02-18 |newspaper=Forbes|date=2011-02-14 |quote="''To make this list, you had to be the chief executive of one of the 20 biggest publicly traded companies in the U.S. (as of Feb. 11, by market capitalization) with a CEO aged 40 or under.''"}}</ref>
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| − | Recognized as a ''Living Legend in Aviation'' in 2010 by the Kitty Hawk Foundation for creating the successor to the Space Shuttle (Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft). Other awardees include Buzz Aldrin and Richard Branson.<ref>{{cite web|title=Living Legend in Aviation Awards|publisher=Kittie Hawk Air Academy|year=2010|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/7th-annual-living-legends-of-aviationr-awards-ceremony-to-honor-tom-cruise-dr-edwin-buzz-aldrin-and-other-aviation-legends-81274087.html}}</ref>
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| − | American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics George Low award for the most outstanding contribution in the field of space transportation in 2007/2008. Musk was recognized for his design of the Falcon 1, the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to reach orbit.<ref>{{cite web|title=SPACEX SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES FALCON 1 TO ORBIT|publisher=Space Exploration Technologies Corp|year=2008|url=http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20080928}}</ref>
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| − | National Space Society's Von Braun Trophy in 2008/2009, given for leadership of the most significant achievement in space. Prior recipients include Burt Rutan and Steve Squyres.<ref>{{cite press|publisher=National Space Society|date=June 17, 2009|title=Space Community Gathers at National Space Society's ISDC 2009|url=http://www.nss.org/news/releases/pr20090617.html}}</ref>
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| − | National Wildlife Federation 2008 National Conservation Achievement award for Tesla Motors and SolarCity. Other 2008 awardees include journalist Thomas Friedman, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy and Florida Governor Charlie Crist.<ref>{{cite web|title=Connie Awards|publisher=National Wildlife Federation|year=2008|url=http://www.nwf.org/about/connieawards2008.cfm}}</ref>
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| − | The Aviation Week 2008 Laureate for the most significant achievement worldwide in the space industry.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aviation Week Reveals Laureate Award Winners|date=March 4, 2009|first=Jennifer |last=Michels|publisher=Aviation Week|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news/LAUR030409.xml}}</ref>
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| − | ''R&D Magazine'' Innovator of the Year for 2007 for SpaceX, Tesla and SolarCity.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=R&D|date=September 4, 2007|title=Rocket Man|url=http://rdmag.com/Awards/Innovator-Of-The-Year/2007/08/Rocket--Man/}}</ref>
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| − | Automotive Executive of the Year (worldwide) in 2010 for demonstrating technology leadership and innovation via Tesla Motors. Prior awardees include Bill Ford Jr, Bob Lutz, Dieter Zetsche and Lee Iacocca. Musk is the youngest ever recipient of this award.<ref>{{cite web|title=Automotive Executive of the Year|publisher=DNV Certification|year=2010|url=http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-receives,1167189.shtml}}</ref>
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| − | Inc Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2007 for his work on Tesla and SpaceX.<ref>{{cite web|title=Entrepreneur of the Year, 2007: Elon Musk|date=December 1, 2007|first=Max|last=Chafkin|publisher=Inc|url=http://www.inc.com/magazine/20071201/entrepreneur-of-the-year-elon-musk.html}}</ref>
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| − | 2007 Index Design award for his design of the Tesla Roadster.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tesla Roadster|publisher=Index|year=2007|url=http://www.indexaward.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89&Itemid=71}}</ref>
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| − | Global Green 2006 product design award for his design of the Tesla Roadster, presented by Mikhail Gorbachev.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tesla Motors team|publisher=Tesla Motors|url=http://www.teslamotors.com/media/company_team.php}}</ref>
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| − | Honorary doctorate in design from the Art Center College of Design <ref>url=http://www.cumulusassociation.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=781&Itemid=103</ref>
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| − | Musk is a Director of the Planetary Society, a Trustee of X Prize Foundation|The X-Prize Foundation and a member of the Stanford University Engineering Advisory Board. He has previously served as a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board.<ref>{{cite web|title=Priorities in Space Science Enabled by Nuclear Power And Propulsion|publisher=The National Academies Press|year=2006|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=HLJfaKxwb-UC&pg=PT10&dq=Elon+Musk+United+States+National+Academy+of+Sciences+Aeronautics+and+Space+Engineering+Board&hl=en&sa=X&ei=K77ET9SiKa-r2AXak_F4&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref>
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| − | In a 2010 Space Foundation survey, Musk was ranked as the #10 (tied with rocketry pioneer and scientist Wernher von Braun) most popular space hero.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=1038|title=Space Foundation Survey Reveals Broad Range of Space Heroes}}</ref>
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| − | In 2010, Musk was elected to the board of trustees of the California Institute of Technology.<ref>{{cite web|title=Caltech Elects Two Innovators to Board of Trustees|url=http://media.caltech.edu/press_releases/13358}}</ref>
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| − | In 2011, Musk was honored as a Legendary Leader at the Churchill Club Awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Churchill Club Awards|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj-gbSqq9gg}}</ref>
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| − | | |
| − | == Interests ==
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| − | Musk has described himself as a workaholic who routinely invests 100 hours per week in running Tesla Motors and SpaceX, often flying in a fuel-efficient corporate jet.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ampere Man|work=Wheels Magazine|date=September 9, 2009 |first=Aaron |last=Robinson |url=https://www.teslamotors.com/display_data.php?data_name=AusWheelsMagElon|format=PDF|pages=68–73}}</ref>
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| − | The SpaceX factory was used as a shooting location for ''Iron Man 2'' and Musk has a cameo in the movie.<ref>{{cite web|title=Youtube video|date=May 11, 2010|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cWakp35t8A}}</ref> In addition, Jon Favreau, director of the Iron Man movies, describes in his article how Musk was the inspiration for Iron_Man_(film)|Favreau's film depiction of genius billionaire Tony Stark.<ref name=time>{{cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1984685_1984745_1985495,00.html | work=Time | title=The 2010 Time 100 | date=April 29, 2010}}</ref>
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| − | Musk previously owned and later sold a McLaren F1 sports car and a Czech made jet trainer aircraft Aero L-39.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spacex.com/media.php?page=44|title=A Bold Plan to Go Where Men Have Gone Before|first= Leslie |last=Wayne|work=The New York Times|date= February 5, 2006}}</ref> The 1994 model Dassault Falcon 900 aircraft used in the film ''Thank You for Smoking (film)|Thank You for Smoking'' is registered to Musk (N900SX). Musk executive-produced the film and had a small cameo role as the pilot.<ref>{{IMDb title|0427944|Thank You For Smoking|(2005) - Full cast and crew}}</ref>
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| − | == Family ==
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| − | Musk lives in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California|Bel-Air, California. He recently ended a four year relationship with his second wife, British actress Talulah Riley.<ref>{{cite news|title=Millionaire PayPal founder Elon Musk divorces actress wife Talulah Riley...and announces split via Twitter|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089654/Millionaire-PayPal-founder-Elon-Musk-divorces-actress-wife-Talulah-Riley.html|accessdate=21 January 2012|newspaper=Daily Mail|date=20 January 2012|location=London}}</ref> Musk has five sons with his first wife, the Canadian-born author Justine Musk, whom he met while both were students at Queen's University and whom he married in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|author=April 30, 2010 | Owen Thomas |url=http://venturebeat.com/2010/04/30/tesla-motors-elon-musk-justine-musk-divorce-ipo/ |title=Tesla Motors IPO faces new risk: CEO's divorce trial |publisher=VentureBeat |date=2010-04-30 |accessdate=2011-09-24}}</ref>
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| − | Musk's sister Tosca Musk|Tosca is the founder of Musk Entertainment and producer of various movies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tosca Musk|url=http://www.muskentertainment.com/toscamusk.html |publisher=Musk entertainment}}</ref><ref>{{IMDb name|0994379| Tosca Musk}}</ref> Musk himself was the executive producer of her first movie, called ''Puzzled''.<ref>{{IMDb name|1907769| Elon Musk}}</ref> His brother Kimbal Musk|Kimbal is the CEO of a social search company OneRiot and owner of The Kitchen restaurant in Boulder, Colorado.<ref>[http://thekitchencommunity.com/founders/kimbal-musk/ Kimbal Musk ‹ The Kitchen Community<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
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| − | == Controversies ==
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| − | In October 2008, after Musk had confirmed an earlier report<ref>{{cite web|first=Owen|last=Thomas|publisher=Valleywag|date=October 30, 2008|url=http://valleywag.gawker.com/5071621/tesla-motors-has-9-million-in-the-bank-may-not-deliver-cars |title=Tesla Motors has $9 million in the bank, may not deliver cars}}</ref> that Tesla Motors had only $9 million in cash,<ref>{{cite web|first=Owen|last=Thomas|publisher=Valleywag|date=October 31, 2008|url=http://valleywag.gawker.com/5072392/tesla-ceo-admits-the-companys-running-out-of-cash |title=Tesla CEO admits his carmaker's running out of cash}}</ref> he was reported to have hired an outside Information technology|IT contractor to go through all of the company's email and instant messages, then had a forensic investigator lift fingerprints from a printout discarded near a copier used to leak the email. The email implicated employee Peng Zhou as the source of the company's reported financial status. Zhou had sought to frame other employees at Tesla by claiming in his leaked emails that he was a four-year employee. Musk offered Zhou the option of apologizing to the company and resigning, which he did, rather than face prosecution.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tesla Death Watch 35: Musk Outs Zhou|first=Robert |last=Farago |date=November 3, 2008 |publisher=The Truth About Cars|url=http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/tesla-death-watch-35-employee-commits-hara-kiri}}</ref>
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| − | On May 26, 2009, former Tesla Motors CEO Martin Eberhard filed suit in San Mateo County, California, against Tesla Motors and Musk for slander, libel, and breach of contract. The case hinged on the question of who could rightly be called a "founder" of Tesla.<ref name=sanmateocourt>{{cite web|url=http://openaccess1.sanmateocourt.org/openaccess/CIVIL/civildetails.asp?casenumber=484400&courtcode=A&dsn=&casetype=CIV|title= Martin Eberhard lawsuit as filed in San Mateo County, CA (146 pages)|date=May 26, 2009}}</ref> On July 29, 2009, a San Mateo County Superior Court judge struck down a claim by Eberhard, who asked to be declared one of only two founders of the company.<ref name=sanmateocourt/> Tesla said in a statement that the ruling is "consistent with Tesla's belief in a team of founders, including the company's current CEO and Product Architect Elon Musk, and Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel, who were both fundamental to the creation of Tesla from inception."<ref>{{cite press|url=http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=1725 |title=Judge Strikes Claim on Who Can Be Declared a Founder of Tesla Motors |publisher=Tesla Motors|date=July 29, 2009 |accessdate=2009-08-01}}</ref> In early August, Eberhard withdrew the case.<ref>{{cite news|first= Chuck |last=Squatriglia |url=http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/08/eberhard-tesla-lawsuit/ |title=Eberhard Says 'Uncle' in Tesla Lawsuit | Autopia |publisher=Wired.com |date=August 19, 2009 |accessdate=2009-09-14}}</ref> The parties reached a final settlement on September 21. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the agreement includes a provision that the parties will consider Eberhard, Musk, JB Straubel, Marc Tarpenning, and Ian Wright to be the five co-founders.<ref>{{cite news
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| − | |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10357665-54.html?tag=mncol
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| − | |first=Martin|last=LaMonica
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| − | |title=Tesla Motors founders: Now there are five
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| − | |publisher=CNet
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| − | |date=September 21, 2009
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| − | |accessdate=September 21, 2009
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| − | }}</ref>
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| − | | |
| − | == References ==
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| − | {{Reflist |2}}
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| − | | |
| − | == External links ==
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| − | {{Commons category}}
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| − | * [http://www.twitter.com/elonmusk/ Elon Musk Twitter]
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| − | * [http://www.muskfoundation.org/ The Musk Foundation web site]
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| − | * [http://edcorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=385&author=33 Viral Marketing, MBAs and pesky governments], Elon talks at Stanford (October 8, 2003)
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| − | * [http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=16252 Statement of Elon Musk at House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Hearings on the Future Market for Commercial Space] (April 20, 2005)
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| − | * {{cite web|title=Fast Track|first=Mark|last=Gimien|url=http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/1999/08/17/elon_musk/index.html |date=August 17, 1999 |publisher=Salon.com}}
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| − | *{{cite news|first=Carl|last=Hoffman|url=http://www.wired.com/science/space/magazine/15-06/ff_space_musk |title=Elon Musk Is Betting His Fortune on a Mission Beyond Earth's Orbit|publisher= Wired Magazine |date=June 2007}}
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| − | *{{cite web|first=Nicholas|last=Carlson|date=February 19, 2008|publisher=Valleywag|url=http://valleywag.com/358015/elon-musks-tesla-caught-on-video-smoking-scoble-and-calacanis|title= Elon Musk's Tesla caught on video smoking Scoble and Calacanis}}
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| − | * {{cite news|first=Michael|last=Kanellos|url=http://news.cnet.com/Elon-Musk-on-rockets%2C-sports-cars%2C-and-solar-power/2008-11389_3-6230661.html |title=Elon Musk on rockets, sports cars, and solar power|publisher= CNET News.com |date=February 15, 2008}}
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| − | * {{cite news|first=Max|last=Chafkin|url=http://www.inc.com/magazine/20071201/entrepreneur-of-the-year-elon-musk.html |title=Entrepreneur of the Year: Elon Musk|publisher= Inc. Magazine |date=December 2007}}
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| − | * {{cite news|first=Brandon|last=Bailey|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_15138666 |title=Elon Musk: Will his Silicon Valley story have a Hollywood ending?|publisher= San Jose Mercury News |date=May 2010}}
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| − | * [http://gawker.com/valleywag/tech/paypal/an-alternate-history-according-to-elon-musk-230076.php History of PayPal ]
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| − | | |
| − | === Interviews ===
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| − | * {{cite web|url=http://www.hobbyspace.com/AAdmin/archive/Interviews/Systems/ElonMusk.html |title=An interview with Elon Musk|publisher= HobbySpace |date=August 5, 2003}}
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| − | * {{cite web|url=http://www.carteblanche.co.za/Display/Display.asp?Id=2879 |title=Lift off with Elon Musk|publisher= Carte Blanche |date=September 4, 2005}}
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| − | *{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Bergin|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2006/01/spacexs-musk-and-thompson-q-and-a/|title=SpaceX's Musk and Thompson Q and A|publisher= nasaspaceflight.com |date=January 20, 2006}}
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| − | *[http://epicfu.com/2008/06/tesla-supercar-how-to-get-chea.html Video interview of Elon Musk by Zadi Diaz of EPIC FU], weekly web show that covers online pop culture (June 17, 2008)
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| − | * {{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article5433496.ece |title=Forget the bungalow, retire to Mars|work= Sunday Times |date=January 4, 2009 | location=London |first=Sadie |last=Gray}}
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| − | * [http://fora.tv/2009/04/07/Uber_Entrepreneur_An_Evening_with_Elon_Musk#fullprogram "Uber Entrepreneur: An Evening with Elon Musk"] video at the Churchill Club via FORA.TV (January 4, 2009)
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| − | * [http://www.oninnovation.com/topics/detail.aspx?playlist=1421&title=Elon_Musk onInnovation]
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| − | * [http://techcrunch.tv/interviews-and-profiles/watch?id=s2dmptMTrvj6oCtNZd_dfhFz5WEaouPJ An interview at the Founders Showcase]. (August 5, 2010)
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| − | * [http://www.kevinpollakschatshow.com/archive/?cat=91 An interview on the Kevin Pollak Chat Show]. (September 17, 2009)
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| − | * [http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/aug/01/elon-musk-spacex-rocket-mars Elon Musk: 'I'm planning to retire to Mars'] a video interview for the Guardian. (August 1, 2010)
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| − | * [http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7402645n An interview about commercial space flights] on 60 minutes. (March 18, 2012)
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| − | * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17439490 A 20 minute interview about sending humans to Mars] with BBC's Jonathan Amos. (March 20, 2012)
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| − | * [http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-april-10-2012/elon-musk Elon Musk on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on April 10, 2012]
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| − | {{Tesla Motors}}
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| − | {{PayPal Mafia}}
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| − | {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see Wikipedia:Persondata. -->
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| − | | NAME = Musk, Elon
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| − | | SHORT DESCRIPTION =
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| − | | DATE OF BIRTH = June 28, 1971
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| − | | PLACE OF BIRTH = South Africa
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