Elon Musk an innovator and a true American Made Hero!

"China has the fastest growing economy in the world. But the American free enterprise system, which allows anyone with a better mouse-trap to compete, is what will ensure that the United States remains the world�s greatest superpower of innovation." -- Elon Musk, May 2011

The United States of Ideas: "I think the United States is more open to new ideas than any country in the world. It's become somewhat of a self fulfilling prophecy in that because the United States is open to new ideas it attracted people from around the world who had new ideas so now it is full of people who like new ideas and who are not bound by history." -- Elon Musk

Engineering and production: "I think it is good to combine engineering and production. Have development and production close together because when you go to make something there is a big leap from making that first prototype and manufacturing in large quantity with good quality. It is really hard to make that leap. For some reason someone decides that they will do the engineering here and do the manufacturing on the other side of the world. That often ends up being pretty inefficient. I like the combination of engineering & production."

  
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"I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extra-ordinary" -- Elon Musk

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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).

                 

Elon Musk is welcomed and loudly applauded as a new member of American Made Heroes!

In 2007, Musk was recognized for his work by Research and Development Magazine�s, receiving their Innovator of the Year Award. He received the 2007/2008 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics award for the greatest contribution to the field of space transportation. In 2008, Musk was named as one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century by Esquire magazine and received the Aviation Week 2008 Laureate for the most significant achievement worldwide in the space industry. In 2009, the National Space Society awarded Musk their Von Braun Trophy, given for leadership of the most significant achievement in space. Most recently in 2010, Musk was recognized as a Living Legend in Aviation by the Kitty Hawk Foundation for creating the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft.