SpaceX and Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk has often been compared to a real life version of Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. Director Jon Favreau has openly said that Musk inspired his depiction of Stark in the first Iron Man film, and both Musk and SpaceX's facility have brief cameo appearances in Iron Man 2. But now it seems as though the imitation has come full circle: Musk tweeted last night that he'd "figured out how to design rocket parts just w[ith] hand movements," and would post a video of the process "next week." Favreau tweeted at Musk asking: "Like in Iron Man?" And Musk responded in the affirmative. See the full exchange below:
We figured out how to design rocket parts just w hand movements through the air (seriously). Now need a high frame rate holograph generator.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 23, 2013
Will post video next week of designing a rocket part with hand gestures & then immediately printing it in titanium
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 23, 2013
Like in Iron Man? RT @elonmusk: Will post video of designing a rocket part with hand gestures & immediately printing in titanium
— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) August 24, 2013
@Jon_Favreau Yup. We saw it in the movie and made it real. Good idea!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2013
We've reached out to SpaceX and will update once we hear any further details of the system. But between these tweets and Musk's recent publication of his plans for the futuristic Hyperloop transportation system, the parallels between his life and that of Tony Stark's seem more reasonable every day.