Musk Bids Adieu to Dragon Spacecraft: A Drag After Trump's Threat
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk declares termination of their space capsule project.
Elon Musk, the tech mogul and brainchild behind SpaceX and Tesla, has taken a bold move against former ally Donald Trump. In a spirited response to Trump's threat to withdraw government contracts, Musk announced that his Dragon spacecraft, instrumental in ferrying US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), would be put out to pasture.
In a series of tweets, Musk declared that the Dragon spacecraft would be "immediately" phased out. This dramatic announcement comes on the heels of Trump's assertion that government contracts for his companies should be called off. Previously, Musk had collaborated with Trump, serving the latter as an advisor.
SpaceX's Dragon: The Lifeline to ISS
The Dragon spacecraft holds pivotal importance for NASA, as it is the only US spacecraft currently capable of transporting American astronauts to the ISS. The contract with SpaceX for this service is valued at around $5 billion. The Dragon spacecraft also transports vital cargo to the space station, making it practically indispensable for the US. Although Boeing has developed the Starliner spacecraft, its maiden voyage with humans aboard ended in technical difficulties, resulting in a delayed return of the astronauts using a SpaceX capsule.
The Economic Implication of the Rift
Musk's announcement comes as the fallout from his economic disagreements with Trump continues to impact the broader market. Amidst the ongoing spat, Tesla's stock has taken a tumble, pulling down Wall Street with it.
Musk, who leads SpaceX and Tesla, has been a loud critic of Trump's tax policies, believing they would significantly increase the US debt. Trump, on the other hand, has labeled Musk as "crazy" and threatened to withdraw government contracts from his companies. Their conflict has stirred controversy among many of Trump's supporters and fellow business magnates.
A Shady Past Revisited
In addition to their financial disagreements, Musk took a swipe at Trump over their shared past with the late Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who met his demise in a New York prison cell in 2019. Musk alleged that Trump's name surfaces in the "Epstein files," though he did not provide further details.
Musk was himself associated with Epstein and his associates, as photos from a 2014 party with Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein and his former girlfriend, attest. Maxwell was recently convicted for aiding Epstein's sex trafficking activities.
Sources: ntv.de, mau/AFP/dpa
- SpaceX
- ISS
- NASA
- Donald Trump
- Elon Musk
- Tesla
Insights:
- The Dragon spacecraft is essential for NASA's cargo transport and crew travels due to its ability to return significant cargo to Earth.
- SpaceX's role in U.S. space travel is strategic, particularly for ISS missions, as alternatives like Boeing's Starliner face delays in their crew transport programs.
- The fallout from Elon Musk's disagreement with Donald Trump has had economic implications, with Tesla's stock, and by extension Wall Street, feeling the pinch.
- Musk's ties with Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, notably Ghislaine Maxwell, have resurfaced in recent discussions due to his and Trump's mutual involvement with Epstein.
I'm not going to be a big fan of the idea of a "space" in regards to the future of the Dragon spacecraft, a crucial component for NASA's ISS missions, given Elon Musk's recent announcement to phase it out. This move comes amidst escalating tensions between Musk and former ally, Donald Trump, whose economic disagreements and political differences seem to have had a significant impact on the broader market, causing Tesla's stock, and subsequently Wall Street, to struggle. Interestingly, Musk's past association with the late Jeffrey Epstein, who was linked to both Trump and Musk's alleged associate Ghislaine Maxwell, has resurfaced in recent discussions.
