[Text/Observer Network Xiong Chaoyi] Suddenly, the once-close US President Trump and billionaire Musk have turned against each other. Trump has threatened to cancel SpaceX's government contracts, and Musk has also threatened to retire the "Dragon" spacecraft.
According to an exclusive report by The Washington Post on June 7th, officials from NASA and the Department of Defense have quickly urged SpaceX's competitors to accelerate the development of alternative spacecraft and rockets. For example, government officials have contacted at least three commercial aerospace companies to inquire about their rocket development progress and when they can provide services for government missions.
The report said that if SpaceX were to stop flying its "Dragon" spacecraft, this would leave NASA unable to send its astronauts to the International Space Station. Although Musk later withdrew his threat, it still shocked officials from NASA and the Pentagon. NASA entrusts astronauts' lives to SpaceX, and the Pentagon heavily relies on SpaceX to launch its most sensitive satellites.
The concerns within the U.S. space and national security agencies highlight the risk that the U.S. government heavily depends on SpaceX to execute critical tasks (including classified missions). SpaceX has signed billions of dollars in contracts with the government to transport personnel and cargo to the International Space Station, launch satellites for the Pentagon, and develop satellites used by intelligence agencies. More worryingly, its competitors are progressing slowly, leaving SpaceX's dominant position largely unchallenged, and the U.S. government has few alternatives.
On November 20, 2024, Trump personally visited the "Starship" launch site in Texas. Photo credit: U.S. media video screenshot.
A NASA official said that he initially found it "interesting" when he saw Trump and Musk publicly quarreling on social media on June 5th. However, when Musk threatened to retire the "Dragon" spacecraft, he thought "things became very scary."
Moreover, the Pentagon had a similar reaction. According to informed sources, officials looked at each other and exclaimed: "Oh, this is not funny anymore." They also said: "We realized this was not just television; we were facing a real problem."
A former NASA official said that Musk's sudden threat on social media "crossed the line." "When you realize he could shut everything down on impulse, that behavior and dependence are dangerous. I can tell you that there is deep concern within NASA."
Previously reported, the White House suddenly announced on May 31st that it was withdrawing its nomination of Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator, further escalating the conflict between Musk and Trump. Isaacman is a close ally and friend of Musk. In response, SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment.
The Washington Post cited four informed sources saying that since Trump and Musk publicly quarreled, government officials have contacted at least three commercial aerospace companies—Rocket Lab, Stoke Space, and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin—to inquire about their rocket development progress and when they can provide services for government missions.
Just on June 5th, executives from Sierra Space, which is developing the "Dream Chaser" spacecraft for transporting cargo to the space station, also held a meeting with NASA officials.
"Sierra Space is always ready to provide uninterrupted support for the International Space Station," CEO Fatih Ozmen told The Washington Post in a statement. He added: "NASA mentioned to us that they want diversity and do not want to rely on a single supplier. The 'Dream Chaser' is undergoing final testing and integration at the Kennedy Space Center, and we are closely collaborating with NASA leadership to launch this aircraft later this year."
Ozmen also revealed that his company is also developing a version of the "Dream Chaser" capable of carrying astronauts, "which NASA is currently evaluating."
The report said Musk's series of intense comments also made congressional staff uneasy. According to informed sources, an important committee of Congress has asked Boeing about the progress of the "Starliner" spacecraft. NASA originally planned to use Boeing's "Starliner" and SpaceX's "Dragon" spacecraft to send astronauts to the space station together.
However, the development of the "Starliner" has been delayed for years, and during its first manned test flight to the space station last summer, it exposed numerous problems. NASA ultimately determined that it was unsuitable for carrying astronauts.
Now that Musk has threatened to retire the "Dragon" spacecraft, congressional staff urgently want to know when the "Starliner" will return to space. In recent months, NASA has remained tight-lipped about the status of the "Starship," but in response to a reporter's question, NASA issued a statement late on June 6th saying it plans to launch the "Starliner" to the space station "in early 2026," pending system certification and technical issues being resolved. At the same time, NASA is still assessing whether this flight will carry astronauts or only cargo.
Todd Harrison, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, said that although Musk later withdrew his comments, his threat to reduce NASA's use of the "Dragon" spacecraft could harm SpaceX, which has been one of the government's most trusted partners. "This is almost like an embargo on the space station; Musk said he would cut off NASA's laboratory in space."
Harrison said this threat reminded people of Musk's refusal to activate the "Starlink" internet system during the Russia-Ukraine conflict so that Ukraine could attack Russian forces, a decision that also sparked strong controversy. Some believe that national-level defense affairs should not be in the hands of one person or one company.
On May 20th local time, Trump listened to Defense Secretary Hackett's speech about the "Golden Dome" missile defense system in the Oval Office of the White House. Visual China.
On June 6th local time, The Washington Post reported that from space programs, space station operations, battlefield communications, intelligence gathering, multiple U.S. government agencies have deeply relied on Musk's SpaceX. According to Bloomberg reports, since 2000, SpaceX has received over $22 billion in non-classified contracts from the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA.
Clayton Swope, a senior researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told Bloomberg, "Terminating contracts with SpaceX will trigger significant chain reactions in many critical functions of the U.S. government that depend on space, with the Pentagon and NASA being the most central. Currently, no other company can replace SpaceX's position."
Recently, the Pentagon has been working to broaden the military space industrial base, attempting to reduce costs and promote innovation through competitive mechanisms. The strategic document released last year by the U.S. Space Force clearly stated that it would strive to avoid excessive reliance on a single supplier or solution.
The report cited procurement experts as saying that from a legal and practical standpoint, the threats issued during the intense quarrels between Trump and Musk are difficult to achieve. Procurement experts said that if the government or a company chooses to exit, they will face major economic penalties. If a contractor exits, it may affect their ability to win future contracts.
Nevertheless, some people have warned about Musk's involvement in politics and its impact on his company. In an interview last year, Peter Beck, CEO of Rocket Lab who is seeking government launch contracts, predicted that Musk's acquisition of Twitter and close relationship with Trump would eventually damage his business.
"This undoubtedly causes unease," Beck said at the time: "Ultimately, when businesses undertake critical national security tasks, the ultimate responsibility inevitably falls on the shoulders of the CEO."
This article is an exclusive contribution by Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7513380280032313890/
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