Thanks for the input. I didn't know that it was wrong to compare Elon with Columbus. Others have complained about it as well, so I will probably find a another explorer.
Not being funny, but if you are writing a book about someone and intend on comparing them to historical characters, you probably should go through history a bit more generally and find people who genuinely reflects the person you are describing, rather than go and decide that you just want an explorer and then seek one to wedge in.