In a drama straight out of a blockbuster, Elon Musk recently stirred up the space world by threatening to pull support for NASA. The plan? Decommissioning SpaceX's vital Dragon spacecraft – the only American vehicle that rockets astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). 🚀
The move came amid a heated exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump, who had warned of canceling all of SpaceX's federal contracts. According to reports, severing these ties could have left NASA, the Pentagon, and intelligence agencies scrambling for alternatives, highlighting just how interwoven these programs really are. 💥
Thankfully, emotions cooled quickly. Hours after the incendiary post on X, Musk retracted his threat with a simple message: "Ok, we won't decommission Dragon."
SpaceX has long played a key role in deploying sensitive national security payloads—from satellites providing missile warnings to those used for battlefield communications and precision guidance. As NASA continues pursuing the U.S. President's vision for space, this recent incident is a stark reminder of the delicate balance in federal space programs.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
