Trump vs Musk: How a political feud threatens to send NASA into the ‘biggest crisis' in its history

Economic Times

a day ago

$22 billion at stake
Live Events
NASA caught in political crossfire
Human spaceflight, too, is on edge
Artemis and Mars ambitions in jeopardy
The SLS vs Starship debate
Global partnerships fray
Earth loses out
DAVINCI+ and VERITAS (Venus missions)
Landsat Next, critical for climate change monitoring
EnVision, a joint mission with ESA
Mars Sample Return, a flagship programme in partnership with ESA
Existing missions like Juno, Mars Odyssey, New Horizons, and MAVEN, which could face premature shutdowns
A legacy at risk
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
The spectacle of President Donald Trump 's public feud with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has now spilled into one of America's most strategic and fragile domains: space. What began as a war of words over a contentious spending bill has become a flashpoint threatening to unravel decades of US leadership in space science and exploration.At the centre of the dispute is the White House's proposed federal budget, which seeks to radically reshape NASA's priorities. If passed, it could place over 40 current and future missions at risk, many involving climate science and planetary exploration, while funnelling resources into a narrowly defined vision: putting American boots back on the Moon, and eventually, on Mars.Adding fuel to the fire, Trump has openly threatened to cancel federal contracts with Musk's SpaceX, a company now central to NASA's operations. That threat risks not only logistical disruptions, like resupplying the International Space Station ISS ), but also casts long shadows over future crewed missions that depend on SpaceX's Starship rocket.'The astonishing exchanges, snap decisions and U-turns we've witnessed in the last week undermine the very foundations that we build our ambitions on,' said Dr Simeon Barber, space scientist at the Open University, as quoted by the BBC. 'Space science and exploration rely upon long-term planning and cooperation between government, companies and academic institutions.'At the heart of the storm are nearly $22 billion in government contracts awarded to SpaceX, spanning NASA's Commercial Crew Program, ISS cargo missions, and the Artemis Moon programme. The feud escalated on June 5, 2025, when Trump publicly threatened to scrap all government contracts with Musk's companies.Musk responded with a dramatic (later-deleted) post on X:'In light of the President's statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.'He later backed down, replying to a user urging restraint:'Good advice. Ok, we won't decommission Dragon.'Even before this drama unfolded, NASA was staring down an existential challenge. The proposed budget includes a 25% overall cut, with science and Earth observation missions absorbing the brunt. Programmes that track climate change, explore the solar system, and enable global partnerships, some decades in the making, are now vulnerable.Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at the Planetary Society, called it 'the biggest crisis ever to face the US space programme.' That's no exaggeration: while the budget proposes a $100 million boost for Mars-related initiatives, almost everything else is on the chopping block.'President Trump is repurposing NASA to land astronauts on the Moon before the Chinese, and eventually to plant a US flag on Mars,' said Dr Adam Baker, a space analyst at Cranfield University, reported BBC. 'Everything else is secondary.'SpaceX's Crew Dragon is currently NASA's only certified spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to and from the ISS. Under a $5 billion contract, it ended NASA's reliance on Russia's Soyuz after the Space Shuttle's retirement.Presently, Crew Dragon is supporting the Crew-10 mission, while Axiom Space prepares a fourth private astronaut mission. Boeing's Starliner remains uncertified and unproven for long-term operational use.Without SpaceX, human spaceflight missions could face serious setbacks, Dreier warned:'The potential cancellation of these contracts would delay or completely halt US-led missions to the ISS.'NASA's Artemis III mission, aiming to land astronauts on the Moon in 2027, relies on SpaceX's Starship as its lunar lander. So far, the company has received over $15 billion in NASA contracts for Falcon 9 and Starship development.But Starship's recent test flights have ended in failure, and if the partnership collapses, it could derail timelines and leave the door open for rivals, particularly China, to lead in lunar exploration.Trump's long-touted goal of sending astronauts to Mars, once aligned with Musk's vision, now appears politically volatile. This focus comes at the cost of near-term science and Earth-based priorities.Trump officials have justified the cuts as a streamlining effort. NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), with a staggering $4.1 billion launch cost, has long been criticised for overruns and delays. The budget proposes sidelining SLS in favour of cheaper, reusable alternatives.But the private sector may not offer the stability required. Starship's repeated failures and Blue Origin's early-stage development raise questions.'The worry is that NASA may be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire,' Dr Barber said. 'If SpaceX or Blue Origin run into trouble, Congress will have to foot the bill anyway.'NASA is not just a national agency; it's a cornerstone of international space cooperation. Two major joint missions with the European Space Agency, Mars Sample Return and the Rosalind Franklin rover, are in jeopardy due to US budget cuts.'These missions are more than science, they're signals of trust and cooperation,' said Prof Sir Martin Sweeting of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.ESA has signalled plans to build more autonomous space capabilities, reflecting a future where it cannot depend on US reliability.Ironically, some of the worst-hit programmes are the ones that help protect our own planet. Earth observation satellites, critical for tracking wildfires, droughts, and sea level rise, are at risk of shutdown.Over 40 active or planned missions are now in danger, including:As per Space.com, NASA's muted official response came via spokesperson Bethany Stevens:'NASA will continue to execute upon the President's vision for the future of space. We will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the President's objectives in space are met.'But former Deputy Administrator Lori Garver was more direct:'A rogue CEO threatening to decommission spacecraft, putting astronauts' lives at risk, is untenable.'This isn't just about rockets or rivalries. It's about a legacy of American leadership in space that now faces erosion due to political volatility and personal vendettas.As per Reuters, if Congress approves the budget, or allows it to take effect by default, the damage could be irreversible. NASA's 18,000-strong workforce faces uncertainty, and global trust in US-led space efforts may erode for years to come.As Dreier puts it: 'Once space missions are turned off, it is hard, if not impossible, to start them up again.'