Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, who is dedicated to the vision of making humanity a multi-planet species, with Mars as our second home, recently reacted to an excerpt from a German book that mentions a leader on Mars named ‘Elon.’
The post, shared by Musk on X, featured a passage from von Braun’s The Mars Project, which describes a Martian government led by an individual called ‘Elon’. This leader is elected for a five-year term, overseeing a cabinet and working with two parliamentary houses. Musk’s reaction was a mixture of disbelief: “How can this be real?”
The coincidence sparked a flurry of reactions online, ranging from humour to wild speculation. One user joked, “Maybe you’re a time traveller or something.” Musk joked, “No matter how often I tell people that I’m a 5000-year-old alien time traveller, they don’t believe me.”
Others joined in with comments like, “You’re an alien, aren’t you?” and “The prophecy will be fulfilled.”
Another user referenced pop culture, saying, “I think we’re being eased into the reveal that this is indeed a simulation.” Some users even explored deeper meaning with one noting that “Elon” means “oak tree” in Hebrew, symbolising strength and longevity, and in Celtic mythology, the oak is ruled by Mars. Another added, “Friendly signs that there are no coincidences.”
Musk’s long-term vision includes a thriving, self-sustaining Mars that would serve as a stepping stone for humanity’s expansion throughout the solar system. He envisions humans reaching the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, and eventually venturing into interstellar space. Musk also expressed hope that humanity would one day discover evidence of long-lost alien civilisations, emphasising that a self-respecting civilisation must be multi-planetary. “We should aim for at least two planets,” he concluded.
Wernher von Braun, the German-American aerospace engineer, is best known for developing the V-2 rocket during WWII and later contributing to NASA’s space programme. After WWII, he was brought to the US through Operation Paperclip, where he played a key role in developing the Saturn V rocket, which ultimately enabled the Apollo Moon landing.
