The US President and his formerly favorite South African have had a major falling out. The WH says it may pull all of SpaceX’s contracts, the South African says ‘go ahead’, and he’s decommissioning the Dragon crew vehicle, the US’s only safe method of getting to and from the ISS.
Meanwhile, half of NASA’s efforts are heading for the chop too.
“L’État, c’est moi.” (“I am the state.”) Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King’ said about his absolute monarchy. The problem with having just one person in charge is that everyone suffers when they behave idiotically. Sadly, the once mighty US Space Program looks like being a casualty of that. Surely, this paves the way for China to be the world’s preeminent space power.
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Stupid people do vote for some stupid people, but more often, they vote for who is able to manipulate them easier. Manipulating dumb people can be challenging and take intelligence. But it’s undeniably sociopathic especially since it’s usually against the best interests of the dumb.
Currently manipulation is pretty easy if you use religion, abortion, anti gay and anti immigrant bigotry, maybe some patriotism/nationalism. Use these convincingly and you’re almost a shoe-in for the republican party. Promise tax breaks to corporations and you’ll get funded.
We live in a cruel world, and are still pretty uncivilized.
It’s also about desperate people. Desperate people are often easier to manipulate. Especially if you promise theme easy answers for their complex problems.
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I say, this is what happens when an entire country consistently, and predictably votes for the lesser of two evils. We became easily manipulated and corralled to this end.
B-b-b-b-b-but we were special.
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It’d hilarious if Trump’s fight with Musky resulted in a massive boost to NASA finding to screw over SpaceX.
Realistically, I’d more expect they just try and switch to Bezo’s cock rockets inc and claim it’s a better deal.
America has to have some kinda launch vehicle, but I can’t see the GOP funding a government approach, no payoff for them.
Uhhh apparently you haven’t heard of the pork barrel that is the Senate Launch System (SLS). A huge government-funded rocket, supported by Republican Senators Cruz and Shelby, it costs about 5 billion per launch. A government approach to space launch is exactly what we don’t want. The government should fund innovative, untested technologies and bold space science missions that are unprofitable in the corporate space. They shouldn’t waste taxpayer funds on solved problems like space launch. That’s exactly what you want companies to focus on.
Even bezo’s head took on the resemblance of the prick he is.
Killing NASA kicks the ankles out from under our global efforts. That kinda science and engineering takes a planetary effort and Europe, Japan, etc., can’t just jump in and replace it all.
Space X is almost the only real reliable player for satellite delivery.
They’ll be fine.
I love the Musk/Trump bitch fight though.
China kinda already has been the space leader if you follow what they are and have been doing for the last several years. Uncle Sam’s dick if fully committed to Deliverance with Great first cousins. Who would imagine that a culture and generations without meritocracy would result in inheritance idiots. Inherited wealth is a recipe for failure. It is the same fundamental problem as monarchy.
