Elon Musk uses Tesla tech in SpaceX 'space taxi'

LOS ANGELES -- Many wonder how Elon Musk can simultaneously be CEO of two high flying, but highly dissimilar, tech companies: Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, and Tesla Motors.

But it turns out that spacecraft and rocket launching concern and the electric car maker are finding ways of working together.

Musk just rolled out SpaceX's new Dragon V2 capsule, meant for up to seven passengers and up to four tons of cargo, Bloomberg News reporter Alan Ohnsman noted that the interior is both sleek and practical. One reason: It has a control console with four flat touchscreens that are adapted for use from the oversize infotainment system screen in Tesla's Model S electric car.

It shows that the two companies are looking for ways to work together, especially when it comes to development of SpaceX's "space taxi." Musk says the Dragon V2 capsule should begin manned tests by 2016.

SpaceX has already shown it can deliver supplies to the International Space Station with its unmanned spaceship under contract to NASA, which has spent $2.5 billion with the firm since 2008. Now it is looking to take passengers there on a regular basis. The firm, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne, can go up to 10 missions before its protective heatshield needs to be refurbished, Musk tells Bloomberg.

With all of its space shuttles retired, NASA is paying Russia up to $70 million per astronaut for flights to the space station. Musk says he can cut the cost to about $20 million. And the new capsule will be more advanced. He says it will return to earth and gently land using its own rocket power, not glide to a runway like the shuttles or parachute to earth like past capsules.

"That's how a 21st century spaceship should land," Musk is quoted by the Los Angeles Timesas having told the crowd.