A heated exchange on social media between U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Thursday briefly escalated into a threat by the world’s richest man to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which plays a vital role in U.S. space operations. The spat began when Trump threatened to cut federal contracts with Musk’s SpaceX and Starlink, prompting Musk to declare that SpaceX would begin decommissioning its Dragon capsules. Hours later, he reversed course, saying he would not proceed with the threat.
Developed with government support, the Dragon capsule is the only American spacecraft currently capable of ferrying astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. NASA relies heavily on SpaceX for crew transport, cargo resupply, and future lunar missions. Boeing’s Starliner remains grounded following a failed test, and the only alternative remains Russia’s Soyuz capsule, which holds three astronauts and operates under a barter arrangement with NASA.
SpaceX has also secured multiple NASA and military contracts, including missions to deorbit the space station and deliver scientific payloads. Despite recent setbacks, including a failed Starship test flight, SpaceX remains integral to U.S. space infrastructure. The incident underscores the high stakes of political tension in America’s privatized space race.
Swifteradio.com
