Musk said he was not going to space until he gets his Mars rocket, Starship fully developed, then he would go to Mars in about 10 years.
Musk may be a billionaire, but he sold his mansions and lives in a 20x20 tiny house at Boca Chica, Texas where he is building his giant rockets. The booster rocket is already on the launch mount and is supposed to be tested this week. SpaceX is awaiting the FAA approval for the first orbital test launch. This was all paid for by Musk out of his own pocket, not NASA.
The launch today does not involve NASA or any government money.
None of this good news makes the mainstream media. They make it like a conflict of billionaires. However SpaceX is head and shoulders above Bezos and Branson. His Falcon 9 rockets have launched 126 times and the boosters landed for reuse 90 times. Musk is making rocket launches like airlines.
Yes Musks owns a controlling share of Tesla, started Pay-Pal, Neural link, and The Boring Company, Starlink internet service, as well as SpaceX. He doesn't have a lot of "cash", but it is in stock and ownership of the companies. He pours all his extra cash into SpaceX. Once Starlink is fully operational, the profits from it will fund his Mars colonization ambition.
He's genius who can and does walk the walk.
