Elon Musk appeared almost boyish back in April 2011 as he unveiled the Falcon Heavy rocket to a handful of reporters at the National Press Club. Still in his 30s, Musk had not yet become an international celebrity, and his efforts to transform the aerospace and automotive industries had not yet fully flowered. As such, this reveal lacked the splashy theatrics of Musk’s more recent rocket unveiling events.

Despite the pedestrian backdrop, this was quintessential Elon—sharing a vision, making bold promises, and sniping irreverently at his competition. “This is a rocket of truly huge scale,” Musk said during an unveiling of the rocket at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. “This is something America can be really proud of, a vehicle with twice the capability of the shuttle and Delta IV Heavy.”

The announcement came at a bleak moment for the US space industry. The space shuttle would make its final flight just three months later, leaving the United States without a way to get its astronauts in orbit. Launch costs for other US rockets were steadily rising. NASA’s exploration plans were muddled. America was going nowhere fast.