--- title: "SpaceX Space Tourists Say Elon Musk Has Barely Talked to Them" description: "Cerebral Guy It’s set up to be a historic moment: a crew of four civilians are about to rocket into space on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The launch dubbed Inspiration4 marks the first time an all-non-professional team has done so. And SpaceX CEO Elon Musk isn’t exactly basking in the limelight ahead of […]" date: "2021-09-10" modified: "2021-09-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-tourists-elon-musk-barely-talked" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "Space" - "SpaceX" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "SpaceX" - "the digest" --- # SpaceX Space Tourists Say Elon Musk Has Barely Talked to Them ![SpaceX CEO Elon Musk isn't exactly basking in the limelight ahead of Wednesday's launch, the first time an all-non-professional team has flown to space.]() *\Image: Inspiration4\* ## Cerebral Guy It's set up to be a historic moment: a crew of four civilians are about to [rocket into space]() on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The launch, dubbed Inspiration4, could soon mark the first time an all-non-professional team has ever gone for a trip around the Earth. Interestingly, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk isn't exactly basking in the limelight ahead of Wednesday's launch. According [to *Inverse*](), mission lead and billionaire funder of the expedition Jared Isaacman has only spoken with Musk twice, and only "briefly." "I try not to talk to him too much about the mission or really talk to him at all, for that matter, because he's a big brain, very cerebral guy," Isaacman told *Inverse*. "He's constantly thinking about how to solve the world's problems, and I don't want to interrupt that thought process." It's seemingly a polite way of saying that Musk is too busy to talk to the Inspiration4 crew — and that's a shame, considering just how the momentous the occasion is. ## Too Busy Fellow crew member and science communications specialist Sian Proctor also hasn't gotten any one-on-one time with Musk. "I'm looking forward to when we do \[speak\] because it's his vision that has gotten me this opportunity along with what Jared has put together," she told *Inverse*. "Getting that opportunity to show my gratitude and thankfulness is something that's important to me." Chances are that Musk really is just extremely busy. His space company has [actively been constructing]() a gigantic 400-foot tower that's designed to one day make it to orbit and even Mars — a massive engineering task of unprecedented proportions. But that doesn't mean he has a couple of minutes to chat with the select few who are willing to put their lives on the line for his business. A little bit of schmoozing could go a long way. **READ MORE:** [Inspiration4: What the crew's interactions with Elon Reveal About SpaceX]() \[*Inverse*\] **More on the launch:** *[SpaceX Rocket for First All-Tourist Spaceflight Rolls to Launchpad]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()