Elon Musk interviewed on NPR Science Friday: SpaceX, SolarCity, and Tesla Motors

[bananas]

He really got the point about going to Mars:

FLATOW: Mm-hmm. What about going beyond the space station? Any plans to the moon or to Mars?

MUSK: Well, long term, the goal of SpaceX is to create the technology that's necessary to make life multi-planetary. So Mars is really the only viable candidate for making life multi-planetary, and so that's our focus in the long term. And I - you know, I'm maybe a little too optimistic sometimes or overconfident, but I think we've got a shot of making that happen in 10 to 20 years.

I didn't realize SolarCity is the largest provider of solar-powered systems in the country:

FLATOW: Yeah. Let's talk about some of your other aspirations in the few minutes I have left, because you're into so many things, like tell us about SolarCity. You're making solar-powered electric vehicle charging available across - tell us what that project is. It sounds fascinating.

MUSK: Well, so SolarCity is - well, SolarCity is currently the largest provider of solar-powered systems in the county, providing for rooftop installations. So they have customers like Wal-Mart, Intel, eBay and then do a huge number of residential solar systems. They have a - the best cost structure and the best service, I think, of any solar company. Just did a big deal with Google to provide solar financing for customers. Yeah. They're doing incredibly well. Fortunately(ph) , I don't run the company on a day-to-day basis. That's done by Lyndon and Peter Rive, the co-founders. And so I just show up at board meetings to hear the good news.

17 minute interview.
Links:

http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/?itemid=31843

Elon Musk interview

The interview with Elon Musk on Science Friday mentioned earlier is now available (mp3) along with a transcript: SpaceX Craft To Head To Space Station - NPR.

Posted 08/19/11

mp3: http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/sciencefriday/scifri201108196.mp3
transcript and streaming audio: http://www.npr.org/2011/08/19/139790024/spacex-craft-to-head-to-space-station

[gateley]

1. He's an amazing guy - and puts his money where his mouth is. Thanks! nt

[RT Atlanta]

2. Good read

The neat thing about a wealthy person like Musk is that he has the committed long term vision (see comments above about Mars) and the finances to fund the steady, step by step progress to achieve such a goal.

Unfortunately, Musk can be contrasted with NASA where, lately any how, the vision and direction for the agency changes with each administration and unfortuantely even the best rocket/spaceship designs take several years to go from idea to test flights. If NASA could find consistency and steady funding, I think it can still do good things too.