SpaceX founder Elon Musk to speak to Caltech grads

[June 15, 2012]  PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Entrepreneur Elon Musk is set to address graduates at the California Institute of Technology two weeks after his rocket startup returned from a historic flight to the International Space Station.

The 40-year-old founder of SpaceX was expected to talk about innovation to nearly 515 graduates receiving their bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees.

The California-based SpaceX made history on May 31 when its unmanned Dragon capsule splashed into the Pacific after a nine-day test flight that included delivering supplies to the space station. Since NASA's space shuttle fleet retired last year, the space agency is looking at private companies to send cargo and eventually astronauts to the orbiting outpost.

Musk founded SpaceX 10 years ago. He made his fortune at PayPal and also runs the electric car company Tesla Motors.

[Associated Press]

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