Musk threatens to paralyze US space program

Trump and Musk engaged in a dramatic trade on social media on Thursday over the US president’s “Huge and Lovely” federal tax and spending invoice, which the previous White Home authorities effectivity czar had blasted as a “pork-filled, disgusting abomination” that will push the US into “debt slavery.”

“The simplest approach to save cash in our Finances, Billions and Billions of {Dollars}, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” Trump said on Reality Social, arguing that the one motive the Tesla CEO “went CRAZY” in regards to the laws was as a result of it might reduce tax credit for purchasers of his electrical automobiles.

“In mild of the President’s assertion about cancellation of my authorities contracts, @SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft instantly,” Musk responded in a put up on X simply minutes later.

Hours later, the billionaire appeared to stroll again the risk, after one X person urged Musk to “cool off and take a step again for a pair days,” noting that each he and Trump have been “higher than this.”

“Good recommendation. Okay, we gained’t decommission Dragon,” Musk replied in a follow-up put up. Nevertheless, in contrast to his authentic assertion, the reversal was not seen on his public timeline.

It stays unclear whether or not Musk significantly meant to halt operations of the spacecraft, a transfer that will considerably disrupt the US area program.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule is the one US spacecraft at the moment licensed and able to sending American astronauts to area. NASA has relied on it to ship cargo and crew to the Worldwide House Station since 2020, following an extended hiatus after the retirement of the House Shuttle program in 2011.

Boeing’s competing Starliner mission suffered years of delays and technical malfunctions. Its first crewed flight final June – initially scheduled for 2017 – ended with two NASA astronauts stranded aboard the ISS, after the spacecraft was deemed unsafe for return. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams safely returned to Earth solely in March, aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, after Trump urged Musk to assist rescue the duo, whereas criticizing his predecessor Joe Biden for leaving them “stranded.”

Earlier this yr, NASA and the Russian area company Roscosmos prolonged their seat-sharing settlement, which permits Individuals to journey to the ISS aboard Soyuz spacecraft, by way of 2027.

SpaceX has secured greater than $20 billion in contracts from NASA, the US Air Power, and different authorities businesses since 2008, making it one of many nation’s largest federal contractors. Trump has but to make clear whether or not the US authorities will cancel any contracts with Musk and his firms.