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Defense Department and NASA seek alternatives to SpaceX following tensions between Trump and Musk

Government reliance on SpaceX for critical tasks, including classified missions, sparks concerns among space and security agencies, emphasizing potential risks.

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Government's reliance on SpaceX for critical tasks, such as classified missions, raises concerns...
Government's reliance on SpaceX for critical tasks, such as classified missions, raises concerns and emphasizes potential hazards, as evident in the response by space and national security agencies.

Defense Department and NASA seek alternatives to SpaceX following tensions between Trump and Musk

Swift Action from NASA and Pentagon

Amid a hot week filled with drama, officials from NASA and the Pentagon took swift action, urging competitors of Elon Musk's SpaceX to expedite the development of alternative rockets and spacecraft. This move comes after some fiery exchanges between the President and Musk, with the billionaire making threats that sent shockwaves through the space industry.

Initially, the spectacle was seen as entertaining, but things took a terrifying turn when Musk suggested stopping SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. This move would leave NASA, who trusts SpaceX with the lives of their astronauts, and the Pentagon, heavily relying on SpaceX for sensitive operations, with no way to transport their astronauts to the International Space Station.

Musk later recanted his threat, but the incident caused deep concern within NASA. One official declared, "When you realize that he's willing to shut everything down just on an impulse, that kind of behavior and the dependence on him is dangerous."

Government officials spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation. According to sources, SpaceX has faced scrutiny in the past, such as when Musk appeared to take a hit of marijuana on the Joe Rogan podcast in 2018, leading to an investigation by NASA into SpaceX's safety culture. However, the sudden threat on social media to cut off NASA's access to the orbiting space station was seen as crossing a line.

Meanwhile, the rift between Musk and Trump was also fueled by the withdrawal of Jared Isaacman's nomination to be NASA administrator, who was seen as closely aligned with Musk.

Since the exchange between Musk and Trump, several commercial space companies, including RocketLab, Stoke Space, and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, have been contacted by government officials to discuss the status of their rockets and potential availability for government missions. Sierra Space, which is developing the Dream Chaser spaceplane, was also in a meeting with NASA officials when the Trump-Musk feud took place.

"Sierra Space stands ready to ensure uninterrupted support for the International Space Station," Fatih Ozmen, the company's CEO, said in a statement. The company is currently working on a variant of Dream Chaser to carry astronauts, which NASA is studying, and aims to fly the vehicle later this year.

Musk's declaration caused ripples not only in the space industry but also on Capitol Hill. A key congressional committee asked about the status of Boeing's Starliner space capsule vehicle, which NASA intends to use for flights to the space station, although the vehicle is years behind schedule. NASA is still evaluating whether the capsule would fly with astronauts on board or with cargo only.

In response to this situation, the Space Force has made efforts to broaden the military and space industrial base, allowing for competition to drive down the cost and increase innovation. It has established two "lanes" of launch competitions—one for new entrants and one for established providers. Despite SpaceX's dominance in the market, it has continued to face challenges in competing with established players like the United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, and others.

If either SpaceX or the government decide to opt out of their agreements, they would face significant financial penalties and potential consequences for future contracts. Nevertheless, some had warned about Musk's foray into politics and its consequences for his companies, with one executive predicting that his involvement could end up hurting his businesses.

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  1. The government has been reaching out to commercial space companies like RocketLab, Stoke Space, and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, following Elon Musk's sudden threat to cut off NASA's access to the International Space Station.
  2. Sierra Space, a company developing the Dream Chaser spaceplane, has stated their readiness to ensure uninterrupted support for the International Space Station, amid concerns about SpaceX's reliability and Musk's political involvement.
  3. In the realm of general news, it has been revealed that the Supreme Court has allowed the DOGE team to access Social Security systems, a decision that raises concerns about the privacy of millions of Americans' data.
  4. Politics continues to be a hot topic with the news of Trump racing to fix a mistake made by DOGE, which allegedly fired too many people.
  5. The space-and-astronomy sector and Capitol Hill have been impacted by the exchange between Musk and Trump, with a key congressional committee now asking about the status of Boeing's Starliner space capsule vehicle.

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