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Elon Musk Shuts Down Dragon – SpaceX Abruptly Terminates Key Program
🚀 On Thursday, Elon Musk dropped a bombshell on the space industry by announcing the immediate termination of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft program — one of the most critical assets of modern American spaceflight.
He posted on X:
“In light of the President’s statement to terminate all government contracts with my companies, @SpaceX will begin phasing out the Dragon program effective immediately.”
The decision comes amid an escalating feud between Musk and Donald Trump. Following Musk’s criticism of Trump’s latest tax plan, the former president retaliated by pulling Jared Isaacman’s nomination for NASA — a long-time Musk ally. What began as policy disagreement has now turned into a full-blown clash.
Dragon: The Backbone of U.S. Manned Space Missions
The Dragon spacecraft has been a vital part of NASA’s cargo and crew transport strategy. From 2010 to 2020, Dragon 1 completed 23 cargo missions. Its successor, Dragon 2, introduced in 2019, added crew transport capabilities and became NASA’s go-to vehicle after the Shuttle program ended.
No other American-built spacecraft currently rivals its role. With both Dragon 1 and Dragon 2 being shut down, there’s no immediate replacement available.
Future Projects Also in Danger: Dragon XL and Artemis IV
The fallout doesn’t stop with operational spacecraft.
Dragon XL, a planned module for NASA’s Lunar Gateway, is now in jeopardy. It was expected to support missions until Starship matures into a reliable alternative — but now, even that timeline is uncertain.
The disruption hits especially hard for Artemis IV, NASA’s first manned mission to the Lunar Gateway, scheduled for 2028. Without Dragon XL, the mission’s logistics are thrown into disarray.
Wall Street Reacts – Tesla Shares Drop 14%
The market didn’t take the news lightly. Tesla stock fell 14% shortly after the announcement. As always, Musk didn’t hold back. On X, he posted:
“Go ahead, make my day.”
But even as supporters cheer on his defiance, the facts remain:
NASA currently has no other ready spacecraft capable of replacing Dragon.
SpaceX has become essential to U.S. space operations, and removing Dragon destabilizes both current missions and long-term lunar ambitions.
Summary
Elon Musk has made the dramatic call to shut down the entire Dragon program — both cargo and crew variants. That move puts regular missions to the ISS at risk and throws NASA’s Artemis plans into chaos. With no clear alternatives in place and Starship still under development, NASA faces a critical shortfall — all sparked by a political power struggle between two titans with sky-high egos and national influence.
#ElonMusk , #dragon , #SpaceX , #DonaldTrump , #worldnews
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Notice:
,,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“
He posted on X:
“In light of the President’s statement to terminate all government contracts with my companies, @SpaceX will begin phasing out the Dragon program effective immediately.”
The decision comes amid an escalating feud between Musk and Donald Trump. Following Musk’s criticism of Trump’s latest tax plan, the former president retaliated by pulling Jared Isaacman’s nomination for NASA — a long-time Musk ally. What began as policy disagreement has now turned into a full-blown clash.
Dragon: The Backbone of U.S. Manned Space Missions
The Dragon spacecraft has been a vital part of NASA’s cargo and crew transport strategy. From 2010 to 2020, Dragon 1 completed 23 cargo missions. Its successor, Dragon 2, introduced in 2019, added crew transport capabilities and became NASA’s go-to vehicle after the Shuttle program ended.
No other American-built spacecraft currently rivals its role. With both Dragon 1 and Dragon 2 being shut down, there’s no immediate replacement available.
Future Projects Also in Danger: Dragon XL and Artemis IV
The fallout doesn’t stop with operational spacecraft.
Dragon XL, a planned module for NASA’s Lunar Gateway, is now in jeopardy. It was expected to support missions until Starship matures into a reliable alternative — but now, even that timeline is uncertain.
The disruption hits especially hard for Artemis IV, NASA’s first manned mission to the Lunar Gateway, scheduled for 2028. Without Dragon XL, the mission’s logistics are thrown into disarray.
Wall Street Reacts – Tesla Shares Drop 14%
The market didn’t take the news lightly. Tesla stock fell 14% shortly after the announcement. As always, Musk didn’t hold back. On X, he posted:
“Go ahead, make my day.”
But even as supporters cheer on his defiance, the facts remain:
NASA currently has no other ready spacecraft capable of replacing Dragon.
SpaceX has become essential to U.S. space operations, and removing Dragon destabilizes both current missions and long-term lunar ambitions.
Summary
Elon Musk has made the dramatic call to shut down the entire Dragon program — both cargo and crew variants. That move puts regular missions to the ISS at risk and throws NASA’s Artemis plans into chaos. With no clear alternatives in place and Starship still under development, NASA faces a critical shortfall — all sparked by a political power struggle between two titans with sky-high egos and national influence.
#ElonMusk , #dragon , #SpaceX , #DonaldTrump , #worldnews
Stay one step ahead – follow our profile and stay informed about everything important in the world of cryptocurrencies!
Notice:
,,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“
Disclaimer: Includes third-party opinions. No financial advice. May include sponsored content. See T&Cs.