The Meaning of Life 81
Miles away from the launch platform, everyone in the
VIP area could feel the vibrations as the Saturn V launched
and roared away from Earth. “I succumbed to the awe-
inspiring launch. I was one of the proudest Americans as I
stood on this soil,” Abernathy said after the launch. “This is
really holy ground. And it will be more holy once we feed
the hungry, care for the sick, and provide for those who do
not have houses.”^28 What had happened was that the vision
of the space program had inspired Abernathy. For just two
minutes, he had forgotten there were citizens too poor to
afford food.
Inspiration is often a forgotten result of an endeavor.
Elon thought a new space program could inspire people. “I
think we’re at the dawn of a new era and I think it’s going
to be very exciting,” he said. “What we’re hoping to do is
to push the envelope and provide a reason for people to be
excited and inspired to be human. Literally over a billion
people saw that mission [the Moon landing]. People walked
hundreds of miles to the only television set available in one
village.”308,365