The Coloradan Times received an anonymous tip from a SpaceX employee, containing a quote allegedly from CEO Elon Musk stating, "We can use the rocks on Mars to feed starving people."
In an effort to verify the authenticity of the claim, Coloradan Times reporter Jackie Jones reached out to SpaceX for comment.
In response, a SpaceX spokesperson replied, "We’re not familiar with the Coloradan Times. Can you please provide more information about the organization? Additionally, what is the source of the graphic and quote in question?"
In response to SpaceX's inquiry, The Coloradan Times clarified: "We are a Colorado-based newspaper covering hard-hitting topics and groundbreaking stories. The source of the quote is Elon Musk. Thank you for your confirmation."
A SpaceX spokesperson then replied to reporter Jackie Jones, stating: "Asking for the source of a quote does not confirm its legitimacy. Can you provide more information on where you found this quote, as well as details on your organization? ‘The Coloradan Times’ does not appear in any searches, and no one here is familiar with it."
Jones further explained: "Apologies. The meme featured '-Elon Musk,' so I assumed the quote was attributed to him. Since I didn’t hear anything to the contrary from SpaceX, I interpreted your response as further validation. I’d also like to note that, at one point, no one had heard of SpaceX, yet it’s now a multi-billion-dollar company with a mission to feed people using Mars rocks."
The spokesperson also shared a verified mission statement from Elon Musk: "You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great—that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking it will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars."
Despite this, when The Coloradan Times attempted to access the SpaceX mission page, reporter Jackie Jones still encountered the quote: "We can use the rocks on Mars to feed starving people." – Elon Musk.
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