Part 3/11:
Overcoming Skepticism and Near Financial Collapse
The early years were marked by skepticism from experts and the broader aerospace industry. Even American space heroes, like Neil Armstrong and Jean Cernan, expressed doubts about private companies entering the space race, casting shadows on Musk’s daring vision.
By 2008, both SpaceX and Tesla were teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. The Falcon 1, their flagship rocket, had failed three times, and Elon Musk was running out of funds. The looming fourth failure threatened to end SpaceX's quest before it truly began.