Who helps Elon Musk's projects take off. Elon Musk is approaching a shameful bankruptcy Betting on promising industries

Rating agency Moodys decided to stab Elon Musk and his company Tesla Motors in the back. Credit rating Tesla Motors was downgraded to B3 with a negative outlook, and the individual rating of its most recent bond issue, sold to investors last August, was downgraded to Caa1. Financial instruments and companies with such ratings are called “junk” in financial slang, which hints that their investors should have a higher tolerance for risk and a lower squeamishness. It’s not for nothing that the process of investing in such companies and securities is called “dumpster diving” and often becomes the topic of cartoons in the business media.

Moody's analyst Bruce Clark outlined the reasons for the downgrade of Elon Musk's company: "Tesla's ratings reflect serious shortcomings in terms of the speed of production of Model 3 electric vehicles, as well as liquidity problems due to the large negative cash flow and upcoming debt payments." Translated from "analytical" language into human language, it sounds something like this: "Tesla produces few cars, is constantly losing money, and soon the company will need to pay its debts, although there are no funds for this."

It is not surprising that against such an informational background, Tesla Motors shares fell by almost 15 percent over the week. Today is a holiday in the USA and there is no trading, but next week will also open with a fall, because after the close of trading the company announced a recall of 120 thousand (!) cars due to problems with the control system, which could put Tesla owners in physical danger.

Bloomberg analysts calculated the rate at which Tesla Motors is losing money. According to their estimates, Elon Musk’s brainchild “burns” a little more than $6,500 per minute - and does this 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The funds in her accounts will dry up by the end of the year, and it should be borne in mind that this is borrowed money, which will also have to be repaid somehow. In order to somehow correct the situation, management switched to using methods that were more common in socialist countries and can hardly be considered normal for a private company. Tesla Motors executives are calling on workers at its factories to speed up vehicle production to "meet their Q1 2018 targets" and "show the company's haters how wrong they are." The chances that Elon Musk's workers will change the situation at production in a single impulse seem to be scanty, including because Tesla Motors takes very poor care of its own staff. Despite the image of a high-tech, “hipster,” modern and socially responsible company, working for Musk is much below average pleasure, as evidenced by numerous complaints from ordinary employees that are published in Western media.

© 2019 Associated Press

© 2019 Associated Press

An article published in 2017 in the British newspaper The Guardian describes rather inhumane working conditions in the production of electric cars. The so-called “factory of the future,” which Musk personally opened with pomp, turned out to be closer to the 19th-century production models vividly described in the works of Dickens: hundreds of ambulance calls per year and overtime which must be performed despite fatigue and injury.

The situation is complicated by the fact that his closest associates are fleeing Elon Musk’s ship. Over the past few months, Tesla Motors has left chief accountant, Business Development Director, financial director and several other high-ranking employees. Typically, such behavior is one of the key signs that the company is ready to go under and that it may well have problems with the law due to, to put it mildly, “a creative attitude to financial reporting.”

Thanks to the efforts of a certain segment of the Russian business media and a whole layer of “fashion leaders” public opinion"in Russia there is a real cult of Elon Musk, Tesla cars and everything connected with them. Russian investors in informal communication often complain that in Russian stock market Mostly there are all sorts of boring Rosnefts and Gazproms, and not glamorous companies such as Tesla Motors. Among young people you can find complaints that in Russia there are no such wonderful, inspiring and “high-tech” employers as Elon Musk. Moreover, it is significant that, by and large, the source of an “inspiring image” is not some real achievements, but PR campaigns or beautiful videos. It's sad. It’s also very sad that these same Musk fans criticize the Russian (extremely high-tech) defense industry simply because its presentation videos “do not reach” the level of Elon Musk’s media and PR visual products.

Something needs to be done about this. Once upon a time, the USSR was sold and betrayed for “300 varieties of sausage,” but you can at least eat the sausage. And now we are approaching a situation where part of society is ready to break social system for the “beautiful videos”, which simply amazes the imagination. Despite the calls of lovers of everything new and Western, the Russian state hardly needs to try to “copy Musk” and invest money in the appearance of his Russian analogues, but it was necessary to invest money in teaching society to distinguish reality from virtuality and PR yesterday. And today this is perhaps the key issue of long-term national security.

According to a survey by First Round Capital, Elon Musk is the most inspiring example for entrepreneurs today. This man, among other things, founded a company that launches launch vehicles more often than... Russia. Perhaps his advice to aspiring businessmen is worthy of attention. As a bonus, we publish several exercises for future Elon Musks.

Seek criticism

Criticism is like working out in the gym: it’s hard at first, but then the results are noticeable. This is the best help for a beginning businessman.

- When I talked to someone about the Tesla Model S, I didn’t really want to know about the merits of the car. I wanted to know about her shortcomings.

Challenge reality

Einstein said that it is impossible to solve a problem using the same thinking that caused it. And Musk completely agrees with this. For example, previously everyone was sure: energy sources simply cannot be cheap. Musk challenged this stereotype and created Tesla Energy - renewable energy sources for homes and offices.

Even if you are not creating a revolutionary product, Musk advises asking questions every time you hear the phrase “this is the way it is and will always be.” Don’t give in to stereotypes: try to figure out for yourself how everything works and make “why?” your favorite question.

Exercise

1. Write down your biggest problem, whether personal or professional.
2. Break it down into its basic components.
3. Think about how you can improve each of them (perhaps something needs to be changed or rearranged).

Business analysts work on the same principle when they conduct an audit of a company. If it’s difficult for you to do this yourself, then click on the banner and order a professional audit.

Focus on what's important

Elon Musk isn't the only billionaire preaching the importance of prioritizing:

Musk follows the same principles.

Elon Musk, inventor, engineer, entrepreneur and billionaire:
- At Tesla, we haven't spent a dime on advertising. We have invested everything in research and development, engineering, design and manufacturing to create the best car possible. When we evaluate possible expenses, we ask the question: “Will this make the product better?” If not, we won't spend money on it.

True, you shouldn’t take Musk’s words literally and curtail your advertising activity. He's just talking about Tesla's priorities. Investments in promotion may be more relevant for your business.

Exercise

1. Make a list of 20 goals for the next year.
2. Reduce it to 5 points. By focusing on what's important, you'll be able to progress faster on these projects. Narrowing it down is difficult, but possible.

In this regard, there is even more stern advice for a novice entrepreneur opening his own business - choose one priority task and devote all your efforts only to it.

Allow for the possibility of failure

Elon Musk is sure: inaction is often caused by fear of failure. And this is a dangerous mistake for a novice businessman! We don't apply for our dream job because we're afraid we won't get it. We don't start our own business because we're afraid of wasting money.

Musk accepted the possibility of failure and thought out the following tactics for SpaceX: spend no more than $100 million - that’s enough to launch the rocket three times. As a result, the first two launches were unsuccessful, but the successful third brought his company a $1.6 billion contract from NASA.

What is behind the public support of the CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX Elon and Musk addressed Donald Trump, whether they have common goals and how friendship with the new US President will affect Musk’s ambitious plans and financial well-being, the site analyzes.

Elon Musk is one of the most controversial leaders in the technology industry. The bold plans of the businessman, whom the media has repeatedly called “the new Steve Jobs,” are to revolutionize the auto industry, energy and aerospace industries at the same time. Perhaps it was precisely his ambitions that did not allow Musk to stay away from big politics.

Love and Hate from Musk

The entrepreneur’s relationship with the new US President Donald Trump is puzzling. This week, Musk, one of the leading proponents of clean energy in the United States, publicly endorsed the potential appointment of ex-ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as US Secretary of State.

“Rex Tillerson has every chance of becoming an excellent Secretary of State,” the businessman wrote on Twitter. - Rex is an exceptionally competent manager, understands geopolitics and knows how to lead his team to victory. Now his team is the USA.”

The question immediately arises: will the victory of the former oil tycoon be beneficial for Musk himself and his team? In a short interview with Gizmodo, the businessman made the following argument: “He (Tillerson - website note) has said publicly for years that a carbon tax makes sense. There is hardly a person better suited to turn these plans into reality than Tillerson himself. This matters much more than pipelines or discovering oil reserves,” Musk says.

Previously, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX also became one of the business advisers to the Trump team, which did not go unnoticed by the market. “Elon Musk has an important channel of communication with Donald Trump through his role as a strategic advisor. We believe this level of relationship with the new administration could bring more strategic value than under the previous administration,” said Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jones.

However, even a few days before the election, Musk's attitude towards a potential Trump administration looked different. “I'm inclined to think he's the wrong person. I don't think his character represents the United States well,” he told CNBC in November 2016. At the same time, he noted, the election results are unlikely to affect Tesla’s business.

It is possible that he was right about Tesla. However, Musk’s empire is not one, but three companies, at least one of which is still largely dependent on government contracts. Let's see if the structure can financial assets Mask sheds light on the sudden 180-degree turn in attitude towards the new US president.

Economic triangle

The three main pillars of Elon Musk's financial empire are Tesla Motors, Space Exploration Technologies (or SpaceX for short) and the manufacturer solar panels Solar City. Let's start with the simplest - the only one for today public company Tesla Motors. Nasdaq trading data at the end of the day on January 25 showed that the company's market capitalization had reached almost $41 billion. The Economist magazine, published on October 22, 2016, called the amount approximately $30 billion, which corresponds to stock exchange data at the end of the previous day.

Based on the magazine's data, Musk's share in Tesla assets is about 22.5%. That is, today it is 9.2 billion dollars. This is a serious enough asset that you don’t want to risk it. But there is a risk for the company under the new administration. Just compare Tesla's mission ("Accelerate the world's transition to renewable energy") with the position of Trump, who considers climate change a hoax and, according to rumors, earlier this week decided to "freeze" all current grants and contracts with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ).

Despite all its fame, Tesla is not yet a profitable company. According to the latest financial report, for 9 months of 2016, the company's revenue amounted to $4.7 billion (an increase of 68% compared to the previous year), and a net loss of $553.6 million due to rising costs.

Further - more difficult. Solar City was founded by the Musk cousins ​​and since 2016 has become subsidiary company Tesla Motors. In August 2016, Solar City received a purchase offer for $2.6 billion; within a year, the company's capitalization had fallen by almost half amid intense competition. In October, The Economist estimated its capitalization at approximately $1.9 billion, and Musk's personal stake in Solar City at approximately 22%.

The company is also unprofitable: a recent financial report shows that while revenue grew 79% to $508.9 million, Solar City ended three quarters of 2016 with a net loss of $758.7 million. The risks from the new policy are also similar to Tesla, especially given Musk's announcement that he plans to consolidate the companies' operations.

And finally, SpaceX. For two weeks now, market discussions have not subsided around the publication of The Wall Street Journal, whose analysts stated that they had gained access to the company’s financial indicators. According to the publication, the commercial aerospace company made small operating profits in 2013 and 2014, and in 2015 faced a loss of $260 million due to the unsuccessful launch of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Because of this, the company had to reduce the number of launches in that year. year almost doubled, which led to a decrease in annual revenue by 6%.

It is worth noting here that it is difficult to verify how accurate these data are. SpaceX is the only one of the three companies that has never gone public (Musk has repeatedly stated that he is not interested in an IPO until SpaceX can take people to Mars). Any ratings financial results companies will be approximate or based on difficult-to-verify insiders, since SpaceX is not required to regularly disclose reports. That is why such heated discussions arose around the WSJ data.

So what do we know about SpaceX's finances? Returning to The Economist's estimates, SpaceX's asset value at the end of 2016 was approximately $12 billion. Elon Musk owns 54% of the company. Instead of 20 planned launches in 2016, the company managed to make only eight, which certainly had an impact on financial results.

Despite this, SpaceX CFO Bret Johnson previously told the WSJ that the company has more than $1 billion in cash and marketable assets and no debt, with contracts for future launches totaling $10 billion. According to the publication, the company projects revenue of more than $30 billion by 2025. By 2019, SpaceX intends to achieve one rocket launch per week.

How does the company intend to achieve such ambitious goals? One plan came to light in November when SpaceX filed an application with the Federal Telecommunications Commission to launch nearly 4,500 satellites. This project has the potential to become a profitable venture to provide high-speed Internet access around the world.

At the same time, it is obvious that part of SpaceX’s revenue will depend on government contracts. For example, one of SpaceX’s contracts with NASA is valued at $700 million. In addition, last April, SpaceX received a $82.7 million contract to send a US Air Force satellite into space in 2018, and in November, a $112 million contract from the same NASA to launch a research satellite in 2021 year.

Points of contact

What we have left, if we rely on these data: three companies (in fact, almost two already) that are not profitable, with growth rates that largely depend on either political decisions the new leadership of the country, or from government orders.

It is difficult to assess how right Elon Musk, who is trying to find a common language with the Trump administration, is in this situation. Although, if we discard principled positions, slogans and sentiments, from a business point of view this approach is at least understandable.

In addition, Musk and Trump have other points of contact, the main one of which is national production. The new US president has repeatedly said that Apple and other technology companies should establish production within the country. Musk's companies are already making this call a reality: SpaceX is building rockets in California, and Tesla and Solar City are manufacturing in California and Nevada.

“The President-elect is as focused on manufacturing in the United States as we are. We're building the largest factory in the world here, creating jobs in the United States,” Musk said in a Q&A with analysts earlier in January.

Finally, one should not discount the fact that both Trump and Musk are... successful businessmen, somewhat similar in nature, as another well-known Trump supporter in Silicon Valley, investor Peter Thiel, did not fail to notice. I would like to believe that it is business rationality and innovative vision that will form the basis of cooperation between Musk and Trump, otherwise the revolutions promised by the head of Tesla and SpaceX will be delayed for at least another four years.

Several business leaders and billionaire Elon Musk, the creator of PayPal, Tesla and Space X, are pouring big money into ambitious, unprecedented projects based on modern technologies And scientific achievements. Eagerly anticipated products and services from Tesla, SpaceX, Hyperloop and even PayPal Galactic herald a new era of sustainable, high-speed transportation and low-cost space travel for leisure and business. We invite you to get acquainted with the most intriguing, delightful and even frightening projects initiated by Elon Musk.

Elon Musk is considered one of the richest people in the world, and he has often proven many researchers wrong about the reality of risky projects. Together with up-and-coming companies Boeing, Ford and Lockheed Martin, he has every chance of realizing his projects in the future.

If Elon Musk had succeeded, we would already be traveling in capsules for 30 people through special pipes at a speed of 1223 km/h. Travel in the Hyperloop transport system is carried out on the principle of air travel, but based on an air cushion and with a lesser degree of turbulence. The project will cost $60 billion, and Musk plans to finance it himself.

Modern airliners are responsible for enormous air pollution, large airports that require runways, and therefore environmental destruction. During one of the televised meetings with Elon Musk and entrepreneurs, it became known that the billionaire was interested in a way to create a new generation of jet aircraft. They will fly on electricity, take off vertically and reach supersonic speeds. In addition, airplanes will be less hazardous to the environment, and flight times will be reduced.

In collaboration with Google, Elon Musk decided to completely change the concept of driving a car. While Google is developing cars without steering wheels, Elon Musk is successfully introducing the idea of ​​​​using autopilots in cars. Unlike the laser sensors offered by Google, Musk believes that computer-controlled optical sensors will be more effective than a radar system.

To make Tesla's green car project a reality, Musk wants to install a series of fast-charging stations for electric cars that would allow seamless travel from Los Angeles to New York - coast to coast - without using gasoline. Each station, which can charge a car in just 30 minutes, will cost $300,000 to install. They will be installed in Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Oregon, and Vancouver, Canada. In total, they plan to install 100 stations, and project participants will be able to charge their car batteries for free.

6. Robot gas station operators

In order for Tesla projects to become more advanced, not only in terms of new standards used to create vehicles, but also in providing services, Musk decided to create robotic gas station operators. They will be responsible for charging lithium-ion batteries from Tesla. Customers will be able to purchase 450 kg battery charging services for the price of a regular gasoline refill. Each automatic station will cost $500,000, and the first ones have already been installed in California.

Elon Musk's Grasshopper project from SpaceX is dedicated to creating advanced rockets and jet aircraft. Typically, as rockets take off and land, they lose parts that fall into the ocean. The Grasshopper rocket is able to avoid losses and is always ready to take off again, which leads to cost savings. She is able to land safely in an upright position.

In order to implement all projects related to space travel, it is necessary to build not only the ship itself, but also a cosmodrome. This will allow many private companies to rent rockets and jet planes for business missions, for the delivery of people and goods. Musk and his team have already chosen a location - Brownsville, Texas. This spaceport will be an alternative to Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg.

One of the sources of Musk's fortune is the PayPal system, in collaboration with Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, solving the problem of creating an intergalactic currency. This system will officially adapt Earth's monetary system for use in space, allowing businesses and tourists to transact trade using their home accounts. Aliens will be able to use this system to purchase souvenirs and products.

The company PayPal Galactic plans to establish an Internet connection between the Earth and Mars or another planet that tourists like. About 700 small satellites have already been launched into orbit, which will provide the entire Earth with high-speed Internet, including the poorest and most remote parts of the planet.

Elon Musk wants to retire on Mars, so he is developing a project to colonize the planet. The Mars colony will be 80,000 strong, starting with just 10 volunteers setting up infrastructure for those who arrive later. And Musk is not the only one who is developing the possibility of traveling in space, there is also

Elon (Elon) Reeve Musk(English: Elon Reeve Musk) is a Canadian-American engineer, entrepreneur, inventor, and investor. Elon Musk is the founder of Paypal, SpaceX, Tesla, and also a member of the board of directors of SolarCity, founded by his cousins.

Early years and Elon Musk's childhood

Mother - May Musk, was a model and a famous nutritionist. Father - Errol Musk, is a pilot, sailor and engineer. He made money by consulting.

The family had three children: Elon, Kimbal and daughter Tosca. May and Errol divorced when the children were young. But they stayed with their father, and Errol Musk was able to raise successful children.

As a child, Elon was an unusual child; he read a lot. As his father recalled, once Elon, when he was three or four years old, asked him: “Where does the world end and begin?”

Pictured left: aged 12 with a fish he caught on a family fishing trip in South Africa. In the photo on the right: with brother and sister (Photo: eastbaytimes.com)

Elon and Kimbal attended Pretoria Boys High School. Elon graduated from school with excellent marks in physics and computer science. At the same time, at school, Musk had a difficult time in relationships with other children; after one of the beatings, he had to repair a broken nose, according to Elon Musk’s biography on Wikipedia.

Since childhood, Elon read a lot, loved science fiction, Jules Verne to Asimov, Heinlein And Tolkien. Novel Douglas Adams“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” helped him cope with an identity crisis at the age of fourteen, and the books “Academy” and “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” awakened Elon’s interest in space, according to Musk’s biography on the World of Science Fiction website.

When Elon Musk was 10 years old, he received his first Commodore VIC-20 computer as a gift, which he used for programming; at the age of 12, he sold his first program for $500, the game Blastar, in which you could shoot at aliens with a laser gun.

In the photo on the left: Elon Musk with his mother, brother and sister. In the photo on the right: Elon Musk's father (Photo: notjustrich.com)

To avoid conscription into the army in South Africa, the boys went to Canada to live with their mother. It is noted that Musk raised the money for the trip himself by selling shares of a pharmaceutical company.

At age 19, Elon entered Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. In 1992, Musk moved to the United States and attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the College of Arts and Sciences and a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business. Over time, he transferred to Stanford, but did not complete his studies.

Elon Musk's career

Zip2 is the first company founded jointly by the Musk brothers in 1996. They were producing software. Their project was a digital equivalent of the Yellow Pages, with which you could find the nearest pizzeria in any area of ​​​​San Francisco. The startup did not develop as quickly as Elon wanted, but his hard work made it possible to bring it to such a level that investors became interested in it. Soon, Compac acquired Zip2 for $307 million, 22 million went to Elon Musk personally, and he became a millionaire at the age of 27.

In March 1999, Elon Musk co-founded X.com (investing $12 million of his own savings), intending to revolutionize the banking payments industry. Already in 2000, the companies X.com and Confinity merged, thereby merging the X.com and PayPal systems. Musk demanded the X.com brand instead of PayPal for the new formation. This caused disagreements within the organization, and Elon resigned by decision of the Board of Directors. But strategically and economically, Musk again made the right move. In October 2002, PayPal was purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion, and Elon received $175 million for his 11.7% stake.

In the photo (from left to right): Peter Thiel and Elon Musk (Photo: strumpeople.com)

Elon Musk and SpaceX

In June 2002, Musk founded his third company, SpaceX. This company of Elon is associated with space developments; the purpose of its creation was to reduce the costs of space flights, promote its development and, in particular, the future colonization of Mars.

Elon Musk became chief engineer and CEO of SpaceX. On March 24, 2006, the company's first launch of the Falcon 1 launch vehicle took place, but it ended in an accident. However, that same year, SpaceX was one of the winners of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) competition, receiving $396 million in total funding to develop and demonstrate the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft.

Photo: SpaceX Falcon 1 from the air shortly after launch as it rises over Omelek Island in the Marshall Islands. 2006 (Photo: wikipedia.org)

On September 28, 2008, the first successful launch of the Falcon 1 launch vehicle and the launch of the payload into orbit took place. Thanks to the energetic actions of Elon Musk, the company has developed two types of potentially reusable launch vehicles: Falcon 1 and Falcon 9, as well as the reusable Dragon spacecraft.

In the photo: Elon Musk, general manager And technical director SpaceX unveils the SpaceX Dragon V2 at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, 2014 (Photo: AP Photo/TASS)

In December 2008, NASA signed a $1.6 billion contract with the company for 12 launches of the Falcon 9 carrier and then the Dragon spacecraft to the ISS, as a replacement for the Space Shuttle after the termination of their launch program in 2011.

Further achievements of SpaceX were: the launch of the Dragon spacecraft, which was launched into orbit and returned to Earth on December 8, 2010, the first ever landing of the first stage on the ground, carried out after the payload was launched into low-Earth orbit (December 22, 2015), the first successful landing the first stage of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle onto the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship offshore platform (April 8, 2016) and the first launch and landing of a used Falcon 9 launch vehicle stage (March 31, 2017).

Photo: SpaceX founder Elon Musk speaking at the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. Musk elaborated on his plans to colonize Mars, 2016 (Photo: AP Photo/Refugio Ruiz/TASS)

One of Musk's fantasies was the exploration of Mars. According to Elon, Mars research will make it possible to set the price for transport flights to the planet at $500 thousand, which is “quite acceptable” for residents of developed countries, and will also mark the beginning of the exploration of other planets.

“I like to be involved in projects that change the world. The Internet did it, and space will probably change the world more than anything else. If humanity can go beyond the Earth, it is obvious that its future will be there,” the entrepreneur asserted.

Elon Musk has repeatedly spoken out in favor of the colonization of Mars, including proposing to drop thermonuclear bombs on the poles of Mars in order to heat the surface of the planet and make it suitable for life.

In April 2016, news came out that SpaceX's Red Dragon spacecraft would fly to Mars no later than 2018. There is a version that Elon Musk, the head of SpaceX, reacted in this way to the message about the start of the hardware implementation of the promising Russian spacecraft “Federation”.

SpaceX is planning a 2018 mission to Mars (Photo: SpaceX/ZUMAPRESS.com/Global Look Press)

During the expedition to Mars, technologies for delivering large cargo to the surface of the planet will be developed, the company’s Twitter reports. If the mission is successful, SpaceX will be the first private company, which sent the ship to Mars.

In May 2017, the media reported that American company Elysium Space is selling seats on spaceship for the ashes of the dead. Elysium Space will be launched into orbit by the Falcon 9 launch vehicle from Elon Musk's Space X company.

It is reported that for 2.5 thousand dollars, relatives can send the remains of their loved ones into space, where the “star hearse” will circle the Earth’s orbit for two years, after which it will enter the atmosphere and burn up.

In September 2017, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced the possibility of using a multi-purpose rocket to fly to anywhere on Earth in half an hour.

"Get to most places on Earth in under 30 minutes and anywhere in under 60. The ticket should cost about the same as a full-fledged economy class airline ticket," Musk wrote on Instagram.

The new rocket, tentatively called BFR, will use the company's previous achievements, as reported by RIA Novosti. The rocket can replace Falcon 9 and Dragon, and it can also be used for flights to the Moon and Mars. It is noted that the BFR rocket will refuel after entering low-Earth orbit, and then fly to its destination; the technology will allow flying to the Moon and back.

Elon Musk's Tesla

In 2003, Elon founded a company that he named after Nikola Tesla Tesla Motors. The scope of activity of this company is the creation of environmentally friendly electric vehicles.

In 2008, Tesla Motors released the first electric car, the Tesla Roadster. The car was criticized, but Elon Musk and his company worked to improve the car and the Tesla Model S was introduced in 2011.

Tesla Roadster (Photo: CarrrsMag.com)

On September 27, 2012, a revolutionary network of super-fuel stations for long-distance travel was launched. Two Tesla Model S electric cars were tested and traveled from the West Coast to the East Coast from January 28 to February 2, 2014. For recharging, only “superchargers” (electric filling stations) were used. The trip from Los Angeles took 76 and a half hours and cost $0, thereby setting a Guinness record.

Tesla Model S (Photo: tesla.com)

At the end of 2014, Tesla Motors introduced the Tesla Model X, a new electric crossover car. In 2016, a new budget model was introduced - Tesla Model 3. In 2016, the company's share price reaches $231.55, market capitalization is $29 billion. Tesla Model 3 is built on a new chassis. The basic version of the electric car will be able to accelerate from zero to 96 kilometers per hour in less than six seconds, and the top version in 4 seconds. The battery supply is enough for 350-400 kilometers. Model 3 will start at $35,000.

Tesla Model X (Photo: tesla.com)

In 2016, Tesla received at least 373,000 orders for its most affordable model, the Model 3. Musk said that due to the very large number of orders for the car, the company will try to “increase production volumes as quickly as possible.” At the same time, Elon Musk released long-term plan development of Tesla's activities, promising that already in 2017 new transport models that operate on electrical energy: heavy trucks and urban passenger transport.

Elon Musk also said that Tesla Motors is quite capable of creating a flying car just to have it, but it is much more difficult to make it quiet and safe. “It’s unlikely that people will be happy about a car roaring over their heads,” Musk was quoted as saying by the media.

In March 2017, the news reported that Tesla intends to open its representative offices, showrooms and service centers in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Hyperloop Elon Musk

In 2012, Musk, in addition to announcing his plans to conquer space, announced another project - a high-speed pipeline passenger transport Hyperloop (“hyperloop”). In 2012, Musk said in an interview that new vehicle will be 2 times faster than an airplane and 3-4 times that of a high-speed train, will be safe and run on solar energy, while the Hyperloop will be much cheaper than the California High-Speed ​​Rail project*. In January 2015, Elon Musk also announced his desire to build a 5-mile Hyperloop test track in Texas.

Hyperloop high-speed pipeline passenger transport project (Photo: hyperloop.com)

Co-founder of Hyperloop One Shervin Pishevar expressed hope for cooperation with Russian authorities, in particular, spoke about the prospect of using such trains to transport Chinese goods to Europe through the territory of the Russian Federation, the news wrote about the possible use of technology on the Moscow-London route.

In the summer of 2017, US authorities gave Elon Musk permission to begin work on the construction of a tunnel between New York and Washington for the implementation of the Hyperloop project. The businessman promises that his project will help residents of these two cities cover the 250 km distance between them in less than half an hour.

Social activities Elon Musk

Another of Elon Musk’s promising projects is SolarCity . The company produces solar panels for generating electricity. SolarCity is one of the leading suppliers of such panels worldwide.

Solarcity, one of the world's largest installers of solar systems (Photo: solarcity.com/TASS)

Billionaire Elon Musk does not forget about charity. Elon became chairman of the board of the Musk Foundation. In January 2015, the foundation donated $10 million to the Future of Humanity Institute for research into the control of artificial intelligence.

Words from Russian President Vladimir Putin about the creation artificial intelligence Elon Musk commented in a very original way:

“I think the race for leadership in artificial intelligence will most likely lead to World War III,”

“Elon Musk heard certain things about her behavior that categorically did not suit him. Amber can be very selfish and often manipulates others,” said a source close to the couple.

Elon Musk's income

In August 2017, Forbes reported that Elon Musk, who nearly went bankrupt after launching Tesla Motors and the rocket company SpaceX, was worth more than $20 billion for the first time on its annual list of the richest tech billionaires. Musk took 12th place with $20.7 billion, ahead of the Microsoft Corporation co-founder Paul Allen($20.5 billion) and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Alphabet Eric Schmidt($12.4 billion). It is reported that from March 2017 to Forbes version, Elon Musk became richer by almost $7 billion.

The publication explained these data by the growth of SpaceX's capitalization, the value of which was estimated at $21 billion. Musk owns more than half of SpaceX.

At the same time, Musk's Wikipedia biography states that in July 2017 he was ranked 80th on the list of the world's richest people with $16.1 billion.

In December 2016, Elon Musk was ranked 21st on Forbes' list of the world's most powerful people.

Elon Musk V movie

Elon Musk is very popular in the USA. According to Jon Favreau, director of the film "Iron Man" (2008), Elon Musk served as the inspiration for Tony Stark, whom he played Robert Downey Jr. In 2010, Musk appeared in the film Iron Man 2 as himself (in the story, Elon is Tony Stark's friend).

Still from the movie "Iron Man 2"

Elon Musk made a cameo in the 12th episode of the 26th season of the animated series The Simpsons, released on January 25, 2015. In episode 9 of season 9 of The Big Bang Theory, Musk also played a cameo. In 2017, he starred in the comedy “Why Him?” as himself.

Musk can fly a plane. Elon owned a Czechoslovakian-made Aero L-39 Albatros and a Dassault Falcon 900 jet. In October 2013, Musk bought the Wet Nellie submarine car from the 1977 James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me” at auction for $997,000.

* High-speed rail - California's high-speed rail system, currently under construction, which will connect Los Angeles to San Francisco. The trains have stated speeds of up to 220 miles (350 km/h) per hour, providing a one-way trip of 2 hours 40 minutes. Construction began in 2015 and is expected to be completed in 2029.