A Billionaire Clash Rocks Space Exploration
Elon Musk’s fiery feud with former U.S. President Donald Trump nearly left NASA stranded—literally. The SpaceX CEO threatened to cut off access to the Dragon spacecraft, the only U.S. vehicle currently ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), per a Washington Post report. The drama unfolded on X (formerly Twitter) after Trump vowed to cancel federal contracts tied to Musk’s companies.
🚀 Why it matters: Losing Dragon would’ve forced NASA to scramble for alternatives to reach the $100 billion ISS. SpaceX also handles critical Pentagon missions, like launching spy satellites and missile-defense systems. A breakup could’ve left U.S. agencies in chaos.
From Threat to Truce… For Now
Musk backtracked hours later, tweeting, “Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.” But the spat highlights how private companies now dominate space infrastructure—and how political battles could disrupt trillion-dollar programs.
NASA’s response? A diplomatic 🎭 statement: “We’ll continue working with industry partners to meet the President’s space objectives.” No mention of backup plans if SpaceX pulls the plug.
💡 Takeaway: This isn’t just billionaire drama. It’s a wake-up call about relying on private tech giants for national security and exploration. What’s next? Stay tuned—this feud might not be grounded yet.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com