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Elon Musk Never Shied Away From Controversies, But His Latest Suggestion May Be One of the Most Radical Yet. The Billionaire Publicly Stated That the International Space Station (ISS) Should Be Retired in Two Years, Instead of Remaining Until 2030, as Planned. For Him, The Investments That Keep the ISS Operating Would Be Better Utilized in the Race to Mars.
This idea from Elon Musk, however, ignores an important detail: the ISS is one of the largest international collaboration projects in history. Five space agencies (NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA) work together to keep it operating. Musk, however, is not just an ordinary mogul. Being one of the richest men in the world and owner of SpaceX, his influence over the U.S. space decisions cannot be ignored.
Musk’s Argument: “The ISS Has Fulfilled Its Purpose”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk got straight to the point: “It’s time to start preparing to leave the orbit of the International Space Station. It has fulfilled its purpose. Its incremental utility is very small. Let’s go to Mars.” According to him, the ISS has already had its time of glory, and continuing to invest in it would be a waste of resources.
Musk suggested that decommissioning be done by 2027, which would mean moving the original plan for a controlled reentry of the ISS into the Earth’s atmosphere three years earlier. This measure, he argues, would accelerate the development of the next great goal of space exploration: the colonization of Mars.
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The Risks and Challenges of Early Decommissioning
Although the ISS has completed 25 years and truly faces challenges such as rising maintenance costs and structural risks, anticipating its end would not be so simple.
Firstly, NASA is already planning the development of a spacecraft that would tow the ISS to a safe reentry location by 2030. Anticipating this to 2027 could mean a chaotic transition to new commercial space stations, which are still under development.
The ISS is still an essential orbital laboratory for scientific experiments, advancements in space medicine, and long-term studies on the effects of microgravity on the human body. Ending its activities early could jeopardize this research.
Another concerning factor is space policy. If the U.S. decommissions the ISS prematurely, China would be the only country with an operational space station in low Earth orbit. This could compromise American presence in space and reduce its influence in space exploration.
Can Trump Really Retire the ISS Early?
One of the major questions is whether Donald Trump, if elected again, could follow Elon Musk’s recommendation and accelerate the decommissioning of the ISS.
Although NASA has autonomy, the U.S. government has significant weight in decisions about the station’s future. Since the ISS is divided into two main segments (one of the U.S. and another of Russia), there have already been Russian threats to abandon the partnership. If Trump decided to follow the same path, the station could become unsustainable.
However, this decision would encounter resistance. Europe, Japan, and Canada depend on the ISS for their research and to maintain an orbital presence. Abruptly retiring the station could harm astronauts from various countries and lead to a diplomatic impasse.
The Controversy Between Elon Musk and the Former ISS Commander
Not everything in this story revolves solely around Trump and the ISS. Musk entered into a direct clash with the former commander of the International Space Station, Andreas Mogensen. The reason? A heated discussion about Boeing’s Starliner mission.
Musk and Trump were publicizing the idea that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were “abandoned” in space by the Biden administration after problems with the Starliner. However, Mogensen denied this version, stating that NASA already had a rescue plan.
Musk’s explosive response was: “You are a complete moron. SpaceX could have brought them back months ago. I offered this directly to the Biden Administration, and they refused. Their return was delayed for political reasons. Stupid.”
This public attack shows how willing Elon Musk is to confront not only NASA but anyone who questions his statements.
Ela está lá a décadas e apresenta desgastes e a NASA planeja conduzir sua queda planejada com ajuda da SpaceX. Isso já vem sendo planejado a vários anos. Quanto o resgate dos dois astronautas na ISS, isso já poderia ser feito pelos russos ou pela SpaceX mas isso levaria a um desgaste da Boeing/ Nasa, que os levou até a estação. Devemos então deduzir que o caso envolve somente decisão política !