The Man Who Sold the Moon (1950) is a science fiction novella by Robert A. Heinlein, part of his “Future History” series. The story follows D.D. Harriman, a wealthy, ambitious entrepreneur determined to finance and launch the first manned mission to the Moon—not for science or glory, but as a business venture.
The novella reflects Heinlein’s libertarian ideals and optimistic view of space colonization. It influenced later works like Elon Musk’s SpaceX endeavors. The title has become a metaphor for selling grand, seemingly impossible visions.
Originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction (1950), it later appeared in Heinlein’s collection The Man Who Sold the Moon (1951), which includes other Future History stories.
