Elon Musk

Mission Control
After three failed attempts, SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 1 rocket on September 29, 2008 from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In doing so, the Falcon 1 rocket became the first privately funded vehicle to deliver a payload into Earth's orbit, accomplishing a feat that many sovereign nations have yet to accomplish. Above, Musk watches the rocket's liftoff.