12
TAKING THE
FICTION OUT OF
SCIENCE
FICTION
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk motivated cadets at the U . S . Air Force Academy to keep the research industry on its toes by fighting complacency and working overtime to break boundaries .
“ We want to take the fiction out of science fiction ,” Musk told throngs of cadets during his April 7 stopover at the school as featured speaker for the Ira C . Eaker Lecture , named to honor U . S . Army Air Force General Eaker ’ s contributions to national defense .
Musk encouraged cadets to fight the discouragement researchers encounter and concentrate on their successes .
“ Prototypes are easy , production is hard ,” he said . “ There ’ s an asymmetry in the way we remember things — we remember mistakes more than successes .”
Senior cadet Thomas McClean , an astronautical engineering major , said Musk ’ s comments on balancing fear of failure with desire for innovation is a challenge for all cadet researchers .
“ It ’ s certainly an area we can improve on , just in terms of finding new ways to innovate and remove processes that don ’ t make sense ,” he said .
Several satellites and other technology designed and built at the Academy has traveled to space aboard SpaceX rockets . Musk told cadets Defense Department and commercial space research are united in solving problems associated with space exploration , including cost barriers and the nearly 30,000 pieces of space debris threatening spacecraft . He urged cadets to curb their hesitation and set their research sights on commonplace space travel .
Space exploration , Musk said , hinges on the development of spacecraft able to regularly travel to and from space .
“ A fully and rapidly reusable orbital vehicle is the absolute game changer ,” he said . “ It ’ s the difference between humanity being a true space-faring civilization or not .”
“ When rocket launches get boring , that ’ s success ,” he said .
E3AVIATION . COM