Musk calls for destruction of NASA’s $150 billion prized possession

(International Space Station) ‘as soon as practically possible’ because the $150 billion laboratory has ‘fulfilled its purpose.’

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NASA warned that it could lead to a ‘catastrophic failure’ of the space station.

The astronauts have been repairing the leak and keeping the affected module mostly isolated to prevent any potential danger to their safety.

I’m happy to help, but there is no text provided to paraphrase.

He apparently believes that five years from now is still too long to wait.

In a follow-up post, Musk stated that he would like to see the space station brought down as soon as possible, preferably within two years. However, he clarified that the decision ultimately rests with the President.

That’s not entirely accurate, however. Decommissioning the ISS ahead of schedule would require the agreement of all the ISS partners, not just the US president.

US President Donald Trump may consider decommissioning the space station before 2030, but to do so, he would first need to secure Congressional approval for the necessary funding to carry out the deorbiting mission, as well as gain agreement from the other ISS partners.

In June 2024, NASA granted SpaceX an $843 million contract to design and build the deorbit vehicle, or USDV, which will safely guide the ISS towards a Pacific Ocean landing in 2030.

The contract only covers the cost of the USDV, not the entire deorbit mission. Last summer, then-NASA Administrator Bill Nelson was seeking $1.5 billion from Congress to cover the full mission.

In fact, Musk’s recent comments should not be disregarded.

He is also the public representative of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Claimed that Mars should be the next frontier, dismissing other potential missions, including NASA’s return to the moon, as ‘distractions.’

From his Thursday statement, it appears he views the ISS as a distraction and a wasteful expenditure, suggesting it is no longer valuable enough to warrant continued maintenance until 2030.

Although Musk hasn’t explicitly stated this, one of the main reasons he might want to retire the ISS ahead of schedule is that it would allow for a reallocation of time, resources, and budget to advance humanity’s goal of reaching Mars.

NASA has set its sights on the Red Planet, but the agency does not seem to share Musk’s sense of urgency, or his wish to eliminate the ISS as soon as possible.

In a statement given to multiple news outlets on Thursday, NASA officials announced that the International Space Station plays a key role in supporting research and training that will serve as a foundation for future Mars missions.

NASA’s current mission plans involve utilizing the International Space Station and future commercial space stations in low Earth orbit for conducting pioneering scientific research, as well as serving as a training platform for crewed missions to the moon and Mars.

We eagerly anticipate hearing about the Trump Administration’s plans for our agency and increasing exploration for the benefit of everyone.

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