I think his major contribution at SpaceX was a the vision. And that the engineers could work on things knowing that the rocket may blow up in testing, and that

I think his major contribution at SpaceX was a the vision. And that the engineers could work on things knowing that the rocket may blow up in testing, and that was not only OK but also promoted as an example of success by the company CEO. Compare that to the DC-X which, while a 1/4 scale demonstrator, had the project canceled due to a fiery explosion due to a failed landing leg. Also, I recall reading at the time that he took credit for coming up with the idea to use stainless steel on Starship. Stainless steel would normally not be considered for a rocket due to expense, but with re-usability that argument goes away. And it gets tougher at cryogenic temperatures. Now if he was actually the one that sprung that idea on the engineers and no one else thought of it, that is a question I'd like to see answered. Or did he just approve of the plan when it was brought up among a list of possibilities?