In row with Trump, Musk says will end critical U.S. spaceship program
The Hindu
Elon Musk to decommission SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after Trump threatens contracts, impacting NASA missions and space travel.
SpaceX chief Elon Musk said on Thursday (June 5, 2025) he would begin "decommissioning" his company's Dragon spacecraft — vital for ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station — after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to terminate his government contracts.
"In light of the President's statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately," Mr. Musk wrote on X.
The comments — which the mercurial billionaire later appeared to walk back — came after Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk's nearly year-long political alliance imploded in spectacular fashion, with the two trading public insults on social media.
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SpaceX's Crew Dragon — a gumdrop-shaped capsule that flies atop a Falcon 9 rocket and splashes down in the ocean — is currently the only US spacecraft certified to carry crew to the ISS under a contract worth more than $4.9 billion.
A variant, Cargo Dragon, delivers supplies, as the name suggests.
Following Musk's announcement, NASA spokeswoman Bethany Stevens said on X that the government space agency would "continue to execute upon the President's vision for the future of space."
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