Elon Musk backtracks on threat to scrap SpaceX Dragon Capsule after Trump clash

SpaceX boss Elon Musk's warning about retiring the Dragon spacecraft turned out to be more talk than takeoff. On a day filled with high-altitude social media drama, the world’s richest man briefly claimed SpaceX would decommission its Dragon capsules, a key part of NASA’s astronaut and cargo transport system, only to reverse course within hours.

"SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately,” Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter), after President Donald Trump threatened to cut off government contracts to Musk’s companies, including SpaceX and Starlink.

It was unclear how serious Musk's threat was, but several hours later — in a reply to another X user, he said he wouldn't do it.

Dragon capsules are NASA’s lifeline to the Space Station (ISS), ferrying astronauts and food, science gear, and other supplies. The US space agency has relied on SpaceX since 2020 to reduce dependence on Russia’s Soyuz capsules — which, by the way, still fly with at least one American aboard.

For now, SpaceX’s Dragon remains the only US option for crew transport. Boeing’s rival Starliner capsule is still grounded after a troubled test flight last year that forced two NASA astronauts to return via SpaceX’s vehicle in March, nine months after launch.

The agency not only contracts SpaceX to launch science missions and deliver ISS supplies, it’s also tapped Musk’s Starship mega-rocket to land humans on the moon later this decade. And last year, SpaceX was awarded the job of helping deorbit the ISS safely when its mission ends.

Even private missions depend on Dragon. Axiom Space, based in Houston, is chartering a flight next week using one of the capsules.

Despite the drama, NASA made no public comment about the brief Dragon scare.

“It was unclear how serious Musk’s threat was,” one observer noted — a statement that could serve as the unofficial motto of the SpaceX CEO’s online presence.

But for now, all systems are go. No capsules are being mothballed. No astronauts are stranded. And Dragon, like Musk’s mood, is back on course.

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