By W. Patrick McCray, Special to CNN <\/p>\n
updated 12:46 PM EDT, Sun June 10, 2012 <\/p>\n
SpaceX Dragon spashes down <\/p>\n
STORY HIGHLIGHTS <\/p>\n
Editor's note: W. Patrick McCray is a professor of the history of science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is the author of the forthcoming book, \"The Visioneers: How a group of elite scientists pursued space colonies, nanotechnologies, and a limitless tuture\" (Princeton University Press). <\/p>\n
(CNN) -- Recently, technology enthusiasts around the planet had the opportunity to get better acquainted with Elon Musk, the creator of SpaceX, the first privately owned company to send a spacecraft to the space station. <\/p>\n
Launched in the same manner as a Silicon Valley startup, SpaceX designed and manufactured the Dragon capsule, which successfully completed a mission with the International Space Station before splashing down into the Pacific Ocean. <\/p>\n
I see Musk, a 40-year-old entrepreneur who made his fortune by co-founding PayPal, as a \"visioneer.\" That is to say, he is someone who combines scientific and engineering prowess -- in his case, a degree in physics -- with an expansive view of how technology will upend traditional economic models, and has the ability to inspire others to support his work. <\/p>\n
W. Patrick McCray <\/p>\n
Musk has bold visions for the future. When he finished college, he identified three areas that could change the world. One was the Internet; another was new sources of energy; and the third was transforming our civilization in such a way so that it could expand out into the solar system. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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A pioneer in space and on Earth<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By W. Continue reading