Elon Musk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elon Musk
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Musk in 2025
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| Senior Advisor to the President | |
| In office January 20, 2025 – May 30, 2025 Serving with Massad Boulos
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Tom Perez |
| Personal details | |
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Elon Reeve Musk
June 28, 1971 Pretoria, South Africa |
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| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
America Party (2025–present) |
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| Children | At least 14 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Musk family |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BA, BS) |
| Occupation | |
| Awards | Full list |
| Signature |  |
Elon Reeve Musk (born June 28, 1971) is a well-known businessman and inventor. He leads several big companies like Tesla, which makes electric cars, and SpaceX, which builds rockets and spacecraft. He also owns X (formerly Twitter), a popular social media platform. Many people consider him one of the richest people in the world.
Elon Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa. He moved to Canada in 1989 and later to the United States. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1995, he started his first company, Zip2, which helped newspapers create online city guides. Later, he co-founded X.com, an online payment company that became part of PayPal.
In 2002, Elon Musk started SpaceX to make space travel more affordable and to develop reusable rockets. He joined Tesla in 2004 and became its CEO in 2008, helping it become a leader in electric vehicles. He also co-founded OpenAI for artificial intelligence (AI) research and later started xAI. In 2022, he bought Twitter and changed its name to X. His other companies include Neuralink, which works on brain technology, and the Boring Company, which builds tunnels.
Elon Musk has also been involved in politics. He has supported different political figures and causes. In early 2025, he worked as an advisor to United States president Donald Trump. He later left this role and announced plans to start his own political party. His actions and ideas often lead to public discussions and strong opinions.
Contents
Early Life and Childhood
Elon Reeve Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. His mother, Maye Musk, is a model and dietitian from Canada. His father, Errol Musk, is an engineer and property developer. Elon has a younger brother, Kimbal, and a younger sister, Tosca. His family was quite well-off when he was growing up.
When Elon was about nine, his parents divorced. He chose to live with his father, partly because his father had an Encyclopaedia Britannica and a computer. Later, Elon felt sad about this choice and grew apart from his father. He also shared stories about a tough wilderness school where he experienced bullying and was once badly hurt.
From a young age, Elon loved to read. He enjoyed books like The Lord of the Rings and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. When he was ten, he became very interested in computers and video games. He taught himself how to program. By age twelve, he even sold a game he created called Blastar for about $500.
Schooling and Learning
Elon Musk attended several schools in South Africa, including Pretoria Boys High School, where he finished his studies. He was a good student. To avoid mandatory military service in South Africa, he applied for a Canadian passport through his mother. This also made it easier for him to move to the United States.
In 1989, Elon arrived in Canada and took on various jobs. He later attended Queen's University in Ontario. Two years later, he moved to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. He earned two bachelor's degrees there: one in physics and one in economics. To help pay for his studies, he sometimes hosted large parties.
Before starting his own businesses, Elon had internships in Silicon Valley. He was accepted into a graduate program at Stanford University but decided not to go. Instead, he wanted to be part of the growing Internet industry.
Building Businesses
Zip2: Online City Guides
In 1995, Elon Musk, his brother Kimbal, and a friend named Greg Kouri started a company called Zip2. They got some money from Elon's father to begin. Zip2 created online guides for newspapers, offering maps, directions, and business listings.
Elon worked very hard, coding the website day and night. Zip2 signed deals with big newspapers like The New York Times. In 1999, a company called Compaq bought Zip2. This sale brought Elon his first big success.
X.com and PayPal: Online Payments
In 1999, Elon Musk co-founded X.com, a company for online financial services and payments. It was one of the first online banks to be insured by the government. To avoid competition, X.com later merged with another online bank called Confinity, which had a popular money-transfer service called PayPal.
Elon became the CEO of the merged company. However, there were disagreements about which computer software to use. Eventually, Elon was replaced as CEO. The company then focused on PayPal and changed its name to PayPal in 2001. In 2002, eBay bought PayPal. Elon, who was the largest shareholder, received a large sum of money from this sale. Years later, in 2017, Elon bought the X.com name back because it was special to him.
SpaceX: Exploring Space
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In 2002, Elon Musk used $100 million of his money to start SpaceX. His goal was to make rockets and space travel much more affordable. He became the CEO and chief engineer of the company.
SpaceX launched its first rocket, the Falcon 1, in 2006. Even though it didn't reach orbit, NASA gave SpaceX a contract. After two more tries, SpaceX successfully launched the Falcon 1 into orbit in 2008. Later that year, NASA gave SpaceX a big contract to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) using their Falcon 9 rockets and Dragon spacecraft. In 2012, a Dragon spacecraft docked with the ISS, which was a first for a private company.
SpaceX has worked hard to create reusable rockets. In 2015, they successfully landed the first part of a Falcon 9 rocket back on Earth. They also landed rockets on special ships in the ocean. In 2018, SpaceX launched the powerful Falcon Heavy rocket, carrying Elon Musk's own Tesla car into space as a test. Since 2019, SpaceX has been developing Starship, a very large reusable rocket. In 2020, SpaceX sent astronauts into orbit for the first time, making it the first private company to do so.
Starlink: Internet from Space
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In 2015, SpaceX began building Starlink, a network of satellites in space that provide satellite Internet access. The first large group of these satellites was launched in 2019. By May 2025, over 7,600 Starlink satellites were working, making up most of the satellites orbiting Earth.
During the conflict in Ukraine, Elon Musk provided free Starlink service to Ukraine. This helped people there stay connected to the internet.
Tesla: Electric Cars and Energy
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Tesla, Inc. was started in 2003. Elon Musk became a major investor in 2004 and joined Tesla's board. He took an active role in designing the first Tesla car, the Roadster. In 2008, Elon became the CEO and product architect of Tesla.
Tesla began selling the Roadster, an electric sports car, in 2008. It was one of the first electric cars to use lithium-ion battery cells. Under Elon's leadership, Tesla has since launched many popular electric vehicles. These include the Model S sedan, the Model X SUV, the more affordable Model 3, the Model Y SUV, and the unique Cybertruck pickup truck.
Tesla has also built large factories called Gigafactories to make batteries and electric vehicles. Tesla's stock value has grown a lot since 2010. In 2020, it became the most valuable carmaker.
SolarCity and Tesla Energy
Elon Musk came up with the idea for SolarCity and helped fund it. His cousins started the company in 2006. SolarCity became one of the biggest providers of solar power systems in the United States. In 2014, Elon suggested that SolarCity build a very large solar panel factory in New York. This factory was completed in 2017.
In 2016, Tesla bought SolarCity and combined it with its battery division to create Tesla Energy. This part of Tesla focuses on solar power and energy storage solutions.
Neuralink: Brain Technology
In 2016, Elon Musk co-founded Neuralink, a company that works on neurotechnology. Neuralink aims to connect the human brain with computers using tiny devices placed in the brain. This technology could help improve memory or treat brain and spinal cord injuries. In 2023, the company received approval to start human trials.
Neuralink has conducted studies on animals, including monkeys. In one video, a monkey was shown playing a video game using only its thoughts, thanks to a Neuralink implant. The company has faced some concerns about its animal studies.
The Boring Company: Tunnels for Traffic
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In 2017, Elon Musk started the Boring Company to build tunnels. He had an idea for special underground vehicles that could travel very fast to avoid traffic in big cities. The company began by digging a test tunnel near SpaceX's offices.
In 2018, a short test tunnel in Los Angeles was shown to journalists. It used Tesla cars to travel through. While some tunnel projects were later canceled, a tunnel system was completed under the Las Vegas Convention Center in 2021. Local officials have approved plans to expand this tunnel network.
X Corp. (Formerly Twitter)
In 2017, Elon Musk showed interest in buying Twitter, a social media platform. By 2022, he owned a significant part of the company. After some discussions, Musk made an offer to buy Twitter for about $44 billion. He completed the purchase on October 27, 2022.
Right after buying Twitter, Elon Musk made many changes. He became the CEO and changed the company's name to X in 2023. He also introduced monthly subscriptions for a "blue checkmark" and reduced the number of employees. Under his leadership, there have been discussions about how the platform handles information and content. In 2023, Musk stepped down as CEO but remained involved as executive chairman and chief technology officer.
Other Projects
Hyperloop: Future Travel
In 2013, Elon Musk shared his idea for a new type of super-fast transportation system called Hyperloop. He imagined pods traveling through special tubes at very high speeds, making long-distance travel much quicker and cheaper. He had engineers from SpaceX and Tesla help design this concept.
OpenAI and xAI: Artificial Intelligence
In 2015, Elon Musk helped start OpenAI, a research company focused on artificial intelligence (AI). The goal was to develop AI that would be safe and helpful for everyone. Elon contributed funding to the company. He later left the board of OpenAI. In 2023, Elon launched his own AI company called xAI, which aims to create its own advanced AI programs.
Private Jet Use
Elon Musk uses a private jet for his travels. His flights are sometimes tracked on social media. In 2022, he made changes to how accounts that track private jets, including his own, could operate on X (formerly Twitter).
Political Involvement
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Elon Musk is known for sharing his political views, which is not common for many business leaders. He has supported both Democrats and Republicans in the past. Since 2022, he has mostly supported Republican candidates. He has also shared his opinions on international politics.
Musk supported Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020, and Donald Trump in 2024. He has expressed support for ideas like universal basic income and freedom of speech. He has also voiced concerns about artificial intelligence and climate change.
By early 2024, Elon Musk became a strong supporter of Donald Trump. He joined Trump at a campaign rally and was a major donor in the 2024 election. His political actions and comments have drawn attention from leaders in other countries.
Government Efficiency Efforts
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The idea for a "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) came from discussions between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. In 2024, Trump offered Musk an advisory role in this effort, and Musk accepted. The goal of DOGE was to help reduce government spending and make federal agencies more efficient.
In January 2025, DOGE was officially created, and Elon Musk was named a "special government employee" and a senior advisor to the president. He was seen as the leader of this organization. His role in the government led to public discussions. In May 2025, Elon Musk announced he would be leaving his role in the Trump Administration. His departure was confirmed at the end of May 2025.
His Ideas and Opinions
Elon Musk describes himself as a political moderate, though his views have become more aligned with right-wing ideas over time. He supports gun rights, freedom of speech, and a tax on carbon emissions. He is also concerned about artificial intelligence and climate change.
Musk believes that a decrease in population is a big threat to civilization. He is a strong supporter of space colonization, especially the idea of humans living on Mars. He thinks humanity should become a species that lives on multiple planets to reduce risks to our future.
Elon Musk has sometimes shared ideas that have led to public debate. He has been criticized for some of his statements. He has also expressed his views on global events and leaders.
International Relations
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Elon Musk has shared his thoughts on international events. He has commented on conflicts and economic goals of different countries. He has also expressed support for certain political groups in Europe.
Legal Matters
Elon Musk and his companies have faced various legal challenges. In 2018, he was involved in a disagreement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding a tweet about Tesla. They reached an agreement, which included fines for both Musk and Tesla. As part of this, Musk stepped down as Tesla's chairman for a period but remained CEO.
Later, the SEC raised concerns about other tweets from Musk. In 2023, the SEC sued Musk again because he did not want to testify in an investigation about his purchase of Twitter stock. A judge later ruled that he must testify. In 2024, a court ruled that a large pay package given to Musk by Tesla's board should be canceled, saying it was unfair to shareholders.
Personal Life
Musk became a U.S. citizen in 2002. He lived in California for many years, where he started Tesla and SpaceX. He later moved to Texas.
While hosting a TV show in 2021, Elon Musk shared that he has Asperger syndrome, which is now part of autism spectrum disorder. He explained that understanding social cues was not always easy for him. He also deals with back pain and has had surgeries for it.
Elon Musk enjoys playing video games, which he says helps him relax and think clearly. Some of his favorite games include Quake and Elden Ring. He has also released some music tracks.
Relationships and Children
Elon Musk has 13 children. He married his first wife, Justine Wilson, in 2000. Their first child passed away at a young age. They later had twins and then triplets. They divorced in 2008.
He later married English actress Talulah Riley twice, divorcing in 2012 and again in 2016. He also dated Canadian musician Grimes. They had a son in 2020, named X AE A-XII Musk. In 2021, they had a daughter named Exa Dark Sideræl Musk (nicknamed "Y") through surrogacy. In 2023, they had a third child, a son named Techno Mechanicus "Tau" Musk.
Musk also has four children with Shivon Zilis, who works at Neuralink.
Awards and Honors
- Received an honorary degree in engineering from Yale University (2015).
- Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (2018).
- Won the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics George Low Transportation Award (2008).
- Won the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Gold Space Medal (2010).
- Listed among Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People (2010, 2013, 2018, and 2021).
- Chosen as Time's "Person of the Year" (2021).
- Elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering (2022).
Elon Musk Quotes
- "I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary."
- "If you go back a few hundred years, what we take for granted today would seem like magic."
- "Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough."
Interesting Facts About Elon Musk
- When he was 12, he sold his video game Blastar for $500.
- He joined Tesla a year after it was founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning.
- He almost sold Tesla to Google for $6 billion in 2013.
- He was able to start SpaceX with the $100 million he earned when eBay bought PayPal.
- His wealth comes from his ownership in companies, not from a salary.
- He bought James Bond’s classic submarine car at an auction for almost $1 million in 2013.
- Elon's mother, Maye Musk, is a model.
See also
In Spanish: Elon Musk para niños
