Elon Musk says SpaceX won’t decommission Dragon capsule despite Trump threat

In a surprising turn, Elon Musk has decided against decommissioning the Dragon spacecraft, despite escalating tensions with US President Donald Trump. Recently, Musk had indicated he might retire the capsule due to Trump's threats to terminate government contracts linked to his ventures. In a tweet, Musk had expressed intentions to start the decommissioning process, reflecting on Trump’s warning about canceling contracts. However, after receiving supportive advice from a follower, Musk shifted his stance, acknowledging, 'Good advice,' and confirming that the Dragon spacecraft will remain operational for the time being. This decision is crucial, as SpaceX stands to lose up to $22 billion in government contracts if Trump's threats materialize. If the Dragon were to be decommissioned, the US might find itself relying on Russian spacecraft for crew transport to the International Space Station. The Dragon capsule, developed with significant input from government agencies, is vital for maintaining operations at the space station. NASA has also come to depend heavily on SpaceX for various missions, including transporting astronauts and conducting scientific research. Currently, SpaceX is the sole American company capable of ferrying crew to and from the station using its four-person Dragon capsules. Although Boeing's Starliner has made a single crewed flight, its performance issues have led NASA astronauts to rely on SpaceX for their return trips. Meanwhile, NASA's alternative to SpaceX remains the Russian Soyuz capsules, which can transport three individuals at a time, typically including two Russian cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut. Each SpaceX launch also includes a Russian crew member as part of a cooperative arrangement.