Could Musk’s Influence Change the Face of NASA? Experts Are Worried

Experts are worrying about the future of NASA as Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” could look at the space agency spending. 

Trump has put Musk in charge of the Department, meaning he will be overseeing contracts awarded to his company, SpaceX.

Expert Warns of Potential NASA Setbacks Under Elon Musk’s Influence

The role supposedly involves cutting $2 trillion from the national budget, but some are worried about a conflict of interest and the possibility that money could be funnelled into Musk’s companies.

Progressive Policy Institute director of national security Peter Juul has written a piece criticising the arrangement, and warning about the potential future of NASA:

“If President-elect Donald Trump and techno-oligarch Elon Musk get their way, NASA — one of America’s crown jewels — may become a glorified contracting agency,” he wrote.

Juul was also dismissive of the credentials of SpaceX to deliver on some of the contracts that they may be awarded:

“To put it bluntly, the company has not demonstrated the technical competence required to execute even less demanding missions,” Juul wrote.

NASA has a policy of “dual-source” meaning that there is a requirement for two companies to compete for contracts, this could be a potential way for the agency to stay protected and not allow SpaceX to take over too much of the agency. Juul’s warning also spoke of the duty of Congress to protect NASA, and the need to double-down on in-house projects.

“American crown jewel that deserves to be shielded from the depredations of would-be oligarchs” says Juul in the cutting piece.

Some are worried that Musk may try to muscle in on the lunar missions, and expeditions further afield. Nasa’s goal is to send a crew to lunar orbit in September next year but this is unlikely to happen in 2025 now, and Musk has boasted that he may be able to take an uncrewed Starship to Martian orbit in 2026 and take humans to the planet in 2028.

It is only two years since Trump accused Musk of building “rocketships to nowhere”. But his stance has changed and he has recently referred to Musk as a “big thinker” and a “risk taker” as well as appearing at many public events with the South African-born entrepreneur.