Elon Musk’s Falcon Heavy has successfully launched into space and is headed for Mars orbit. Aboard the massive rocket is Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster, a test-dummy called “Starman,” a bunch of David Bowie music, the words “Don’t Panic” (in reference to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) displayed on the Tesla’s panel, and a storage device containing sci-fi classics.
Besides The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy reference propelling through space, a device that SpaceX calls “5D quartz laser storage device…a high tech, high data storage unit that can survive the harsh environment of space” is also on the payload. This device contains Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy.
Image Via Amazon
The Foundation trilogy is basically about the idea that humans have cracked the code and can predict and plan for the future. It’s kind of a nice idea that Musk stored copies of the novels aboard the first Falcon Heavy launch. It’s, you know, symbolic or whatever. People should have reason to be hopeful if Musk’s optimistic enough to be sending something like the Foundation series up into space.
Musk is a known bookworm, constantly recommending books, and apparently a Potterhead. SpaceX’s successful launch of the Falcon Heavy means we can soon send up massive payloads (up to 64 tonnes) at a relatively low price. But the most valuable part of the payload that was sent up on its premiere voyage was, of course, literature.
Feature Image Via Business Insider