It does seem all very noble except when you remember that SpaceX sees itself as a military weapons company. In almost every interview, amongst the background hype, he makes a mention of defence.
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Rocketry is a dual-use technology; it can be used for good (satellites, exploration, science) or for launching explosives around the world. Paints are also a dual-use technology; it can be used for good (art) or evil (it can get you high).
Do we label every paint manufacturer a drug dealer because they have a product that can be misused?
evil (it can get you high)
-_-. You could have come up with a less politically charged example than that (perhaps any arbitrary blunt, heavy, or sharp object?).
He could have chose graffiti, but regardless his still had a very valid point.
On the contrary, I seem to recall him saying something to the effect of "it's unfortunate than the U.S. government classifies spacecraft as weapons, so we have to do everything in house."
Found it: http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2012/05/spacex-... (although his assessment of rockets being classified as weapons seems more neutral than I remembered it)
"rocket technology is ... considered an advanced weapons technology so you can't really [outsource] - so in our case manufacturing is necessary."
Name me one weapon SpaceX has had a hand in developing.
Name me one.