I think Elon Musk could work out deals with Mattel Toy Company,
with other sponsers, with some Hollywood production companies
for movie and TV rights, etc., to partially fund two unmanned test missions and the actual crewed flight.
You'd probably agree with me that the projected 90 million dollar
cost of making, assembling and launching a Falcon 9 Heavy
is probably too low; but a Falcon 9 Heavy could probably reach
a launch pad and take off at a fraction of the cost of a Space Shuttle.
If he were to be as bold as the NASA team that said GO for
a moon mission for Apollo 8 with only two Saturn V launches under their
belt, then I think Elon Musk could pull off something similar by the middle of the next decade, embarrassing even humiliating NASA in the process.
NASA may need to be humiliated; the best medicines don't always taste the best.
Space/Science » in reply to The Soviets also have manned plans for the Moon
There were only two test launches of the Saturn V prior to Apollo 8.