I gathered personalized tributes and signatures from the Apollo astronauts for a birthday gift to Elon back in 2012, just after SpaceX’s first successful mission to the ISS. But I worked on two posters in parallel — this smaller one faces me in my office (a highlight of the space collection at Future Ventures).
I just noticed that the original messages of congratulations from each astronaut differ across the posters, in a meaningful way!
Most presciently, David Scott — Commander of Apollo 15, and first to drive an EV on the moon — riffs on Neil Armstrong’s One Giant Leap with an eye to SpaceX leading us to Mars:
“The first leap of many giant steps to Mars!!! Onward!!!
— Dave Scott, Apollo 9 CMP, Apollo 15 Cmdr”
“CONGRATULATIONS
— Buzz Aldrin, Apollo XI”
“The beginning of an entirely new era.
— Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 LMP”
“A big first step and much luck on many more ahead!
— Fred Haise, Apollo 13 LMP”
“Congratulations on your success!
— Al Worden, Apollo 15”
“A big dream completed! Way to go!
— Charlie Duke, Apollo 16 LMP”
“We are excited to see your great success.
— Alan Bean, Apollo 12 LMP”
“Congratulations on a job well done…
— Gene Cernan, Apollo 17 & Apollo X
Charlie Duke and Al Bean, were effusive in their praise of SpaceX and the next generation of space explorers. Charlie Duke and Dave Scott were excited about a future mission to Mars.
Here is the larger one I gave to Elon for his birthday, and the backstory as to why.
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