Introduction

In 2001, Elon Musk was involved in a nonprofit called the Mars Society. He wanted to raise plants in a growth chamber on the surface of Mars. The Russians viewed Musk as a space novice and didn't take him seriously. After three failed launches, they were almost out of money and materials. For the final launch that would determine success or failure, they were using scraps and simple physics. Since that time, SpaceX has had 395 successful launches.