During a social media exchange on Thursday, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk discussed SpaceX’s role in transporting astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station. Musk, the world’s richest individual, raised concerns about potentially discontinuing the space capsule.
President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk initiates SpaceX Starship Rocket’s sixth test flight in Bocachica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool, File via AP)
Shortly after the exchange, Musk stated he wouldn’t carry out the threat.
Following Trump’s warning about potentially revoking government contracts for Musk’s SpaceX and Starlink services, Musk responded on X, indicating that SpaceX “will soon initiate the abolition of the Dragon Spaceship.”
The seriousness of Musk’s threat was uncertain, but hours later, in a reply to another X user, he clarified that he would not proceed with it.
Developed with government funding, these capsules are vital for maintaining operations at the space station. NASA also heavily relies on SpaceX for various missions, including launching science projects and transporting astronauts to the moon within the next decade.
Dragon Capsule
SpaceX remains the sole U.S. company currently transporting crews to the space station using its four-person Dragon capsules.
Boeing’s Starliner capsule has only been flown by astronauts once. A test flight last year encountered significant issues, requiring two NASA astronauts to board a SpaceX flight back to Earth more than nine months later.
The Starliner remains inactive as NASA evaluates the need for an additional test flight, this time with cargo rather than crew.
SpaceX utilizes Dragon Capsules for its own missions, with the next launch scheduled for a chartered trip with Axiom Space, a Houston-based company.
The cargo version of the Dragon capsule is also employed to transport food and supplies to orbital laboratories.
Other NASA Options: Russia
The Russian Soyuz capsule is currently the only alternative for transporting crews to the space station.
Soyuz capsules transport three individuals at once. Presently, each Soyuz launch includes two Russians and one NASA astronaut, while each SpaceX launch accommodates one Russian astronaut under a barter agreement. This arrangement ensures that both Russian and American personnel are on board to facilitate safe returns in emergencies.
NASA’s inaugural crew launch occurred in 2020, marking the first orbital flights with crews by private enterprises. SpaceX has since enabled NASA to lessen its reliance on Russia for crew transport, which previously cost tens of millions of dollars per seat.
NASA also utilizes Russian spacecraft for cargo, alongside U.S. contractor Northrop Grumman.
SpaceX’s Other Government Launches
The company has utilized its rockets for numerous NASA scientific missions and military operations.
Last year, SpaceX secured a NASA contract to assist in decommissioning the space station when it becomes obsolete.
SpaceX’s Starship Mega Rocket was chosen by NASA to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the lunar surface for at least the first two landing missions. Last week, the ship underwent its ninth test flight from Texas, albeit with disastrous results.
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Source: apnews.com