In 2001, Elon Musk traveled to Russia to buy rockets for Mars Oasis, an idea to send a small greenhouse to Mars and inspire people about space again. The Russians mocked him, quoted high prices, and one rocket designer spat on his shoes.
On the flight home, Musk opened his laptop and ran the numbers. He realized rockets did not have to cost that much. So instead of buying one, he decided to build them himself. Less than a year later, SpaceX was born.