- Elon Musk handed out in a gathering that concerned photographs of vodka, per his upcoming biography.
- He was negotiating shopping for rockets in Moscow, and had partied in Paris the evening earlier than.
- The Russians taunted him in a later assembly: “Oh, little boy, you do not have the cash?”
Elon Musk as soon as handed out throughout a Moscow assembly the place he had a number of photographs of vodka, based on Walter Isaacson’s upcoming biography.
The SpaceX CEO advised Isaacson that, earlier than founding the corporate in 2002, he as an alternative wished to launch a mission that might encourage public curiosity in house exploration. His first plan, referred to as “Mars Oasis,” concerned sending a greenhouse to Mars.
So Musk recruited a rocket engineer referred to as Jim Cantrell, and together with Adeo Ressi — The Founder Institute CEO and Musk’s former faculty housemate — they organized a enterprise assembly with some Russians to barter shopping for rockets, the guide says.
The journey included a stopover in Paris, the place Isaacson writes {that a} late evening of partying left Musk “ragged” upon arriving within the Russian capital.
Then within the again room of a Moscow restaurant, the lunchtime assembly concerned “small bites of meals interspersed with massive photographs of vodka,” based on the biography. The Russians additionally gifted the trio a bottle of vodka every, the place the label was an image of the recipient on Mars.
“I calculated the load of the meals and the load of the vodka, they usually have been roughly equal,” Musk advised Isaacson.
After which, within the biographer’s phrases: “Musk, who was holding his head up along with his hand, handed out, and his head slammed into the desk.”
Again in January, Musk stated he dislikes “the style or results of most alcohol,” however expressed a desire for purple wine. The billionaire was additionally pictured consuming from a wine glass whereas on the World Cup Closing in Qatar final yr. And in 2017, Musk tweeted: “A little bit purple wine, classic report, some Ambien… and magic!”
After passing out in Moscow, there was one other unsuccessful assembly on that journey earlier than Musk returned in early 2002. Isaacson writes that he thought there was a deal to purchase two Dnepr rockets for $18 million, however the Russians truly wished $18 million for every.
And when Musk pushed again, they upped the worth to $21 million every. Cantrell advised Isaacson that the Russians then taunted the SpaceX founder, saying: “Oh, little boy, you do not have the cash?”
Musk didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for remark.
