Chapter 1: The Controversy Surrounding Elon Musk

Recently, I came across an article on Medium that presented an extensive list of criticisms aimed at Elon Musk. Many of the points focused on his Twitter presence and the repercussions of his statements on that platform. Additionally, it referenced a story from Ashlee Vance's biography, "Elon Musk: How The Billionaire CEO Of SpaceX and Tesla Is Shaping Our Future." In this tale, after Musk's executive assistant requests a salary increase, he sends her on a two-week vacation only to terminate her employment upon her return, having overlooked her absence.

Having read Vance's biography in 2017, I found it thoroughly engaging. However, I didn't come away with the impression that Musk was inherently a bad person. Instead, the stories within highlighted the challenges of innovating and achieving what seems impossible.

One story that stood out to me wasn't the one about the executive assistant but rather the account of the actuator development for the gimbal control used in the Falcon 1's upper stage.

Steve Davis, a Stanford graduate and SpaceX's 22nd employee, was tasked by Musk in 2004 with creating this actuator. In a conventional aerospace firm, Davis would have relied on experienced suppliers, scrutinizing their proposals. He presented Musk with a quote of $120,000 for the actuator.

To his surprise, Musk found this amusing and insisted that the actuator was no more complex than a garage door opener, setting a budget of $5,000 instead and challenging Davis to "make it work."

This presented a daunting challenge for Davis, who was now required to fabricate the actuator himself without the aid of experienced external suppliers. The situation felt utterly absurd to him; he had never constructed hardware before, let alone something critical for a costly space mission.

After nine months of intense effort, Davis successfully built the actuator for just $3,900, and it successfully flew with the Falcon 1 to space. This achievement is a testament to how re-thinking every aspect from the ground up allowed SpaceX to accomplish remarkable feats.

What I gleaned from this experience is that when aiming for the extraordinary, even the smallest tasks can feel insurmountable.

The first video explores how Elon Musk embodies the concept of making the impossible possible. Titled "Making the Impossible Possible! | ELON MUSK: THE REAL LIFE IRON MAN | Documentary," it delves into Musk's life and achievements.

Chapter 2: Elon Musk's Unconventional Strategies

In the pursuit of groundbreaking innovation, Musk's approach often defies traditional methods. He embraces constraints as a catalyst for creativity, pushing his team to achieve the unthinkable.

The second video, "How Elon Musk Keeps Doing The IMPOSSIBLE," further illustrates Musk's relentless drive and innovative mindset, showcasing how he continually challenges the status quo.