Latest news with #spaceX
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14 hours ago
- Science
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Starship's 4th straight rocket explosion is the latest public setback for Musk's Mars dreams
SpaceX's Starship rocket exploded during a test at its Texas Starbase campus. The explosion is the fourth failure for SpaceX's Starship rockets this year. SpaceX uses failures to improve — but it's supposed to put astronauts on the moon by 2027. SpaceX's flagship rockets keep blowing up. On Wednesday night, one of the Elon Musk-run space technology company's latest rockets erupted into an inferno on the launchpad. The explosion, which enveloped a portion of SpaceX's Starbase campus in Texas in fire and smoke, was meant to be a routine test ahead of a launch for the company's Starship program. The company plans to use Starship rockets — the successor to its Falcon models — to conduct missions to the moon, and eventually, Mars. Wednesday's explosion marks the fourth consecutive failure for SpaceX's Starship rockets this year. In May, a Starship rocket successfully made it through the Earth's atmosphere — but failed to release a payload of practice satellites into space and then spun out of control on its trip back to the planet. Starship rockets also exploded on two other trips this year. SpaceX has embraced its failures, using data collected from explosions and missteps to improve future products. Wednesday's explosion was intended to be a "static fire test," where the engines fire while the rocket is held on the launchpad with clamps, rather than launched into the atmosphere. Musk brushed off the mishap as "just a scratch." He said that preliminary data showed the failure was related to a container of pressurized nitrogen in the payload bay. "If further investigation confirms that this is what happened, it is the first time ever for this design," Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter. A representative for SpaceX didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. On X, the company said the test experienced "a major anomaly." It said all of the company's personnel were safe and accounted for. This year's string of failures marks a stark departure from last year, where the Starship program had better success, proving that its rockets could be reused and even land vertically after a trip to space. Although SpaceX is a private company, Musk had come under scrutiny from Tesla shareholders earlier this year over his role in President Donald Trump's administration. A number of major shareholders have complained that Musk had been spending less time operating the company while he oversaw the Department of Government Efficiency. SpaceX is heavily reliant on government contracts, and has one with NASA for the Starship to put astronauts on the moon by 2027, before Trump's term ends. Musk left the administration earlier this month and exchanged verbal volleys with Trump, accusing him without evidence of blocking the release of government documents related to the now-dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The White House called Musk's comments "unfortunate." SpaceX typically conducts test launches frequently and has a high tolerance for failure, knowing the next test is just around the corner. The strategy has worked well for the company's Falcon rocket program, which in over a decade has launched hundreds of flights. On Monday, the company successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket into space. The rocket sent more than two dozen Starlink satellites into orbit. "SpaceX's philosophy is 'fail fast, learn faster' and usually is undeterred by failures like this one," wrote space policy analyst Marcia Smith of the Starship explosion. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Musk finally gets some good news from Jeff Bezos
Elon Musk finally gets some good news from Jeff Bezos originally appeared on TheStreet. The future of space transportation is looking increasingly complicated, as the falling-out between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump drags on. After Musk levied strong accusations against Trump and publicly stated he would not have been elected without his support, the president struck back with threats to cancel several SpaceX contracts. This leaves the company's short-term future in a precarious position, jeopardizing Musk's ambitions of colonizing Mars. 💵💰💰💵 Multiple space stocks responded to news of this conflict by surging, as investors looked to capitalize on SpaceX's questionable future. But one of Musk's primary rivals, a fellow privately held space exploration company, also recently revealed some less-than-positive news. Blue Origin, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, recently made an announcement regarding its plans for the future, which could be regarded as good news for SpaceX and Musk. While they both rose to fame founding companies that aren't direct competitors, Musk and Bezos are clear rivals in the space race. SpaceX and Blue Origin are both privately held and focused on space exploration and rocket is intended to be Musk's vehicle for colonizing Mars, while Bezos seems intent on cornering the space tourism market, which also includes rivals such as Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic. However, the two private companies are considered the leaders in the space exploration field. Blue Origin, though, recently reported what seems to be a setback. The company had been targeting Spring 2025 for the launch of its New Glenn rocket, a 320-foot-tall (98 meters) spacecraft with a reusable first stage, but now it has announced that the new launch will be held no earlier than (NET) August 15, 2025. CEO David Limp posted about to the delayed launch on X, revealing that one of the mission's key objectives would be to land and recover its booster. 'This will take a little bit of luck and a lot of excellent execution,' he states, adding that the company is on track to produce GS2s, referring to the second stage of the rocket. Following New Glenn's mostly successful January 2025 mission, the company hasn't indicated more progress toward further launches, even after its leaders initially set high expectations for its rocket launches. Now, as Ars Technica speculates, the August launch may be the only one Blue Origin completes this year. 'It is telling that Limp commented on the company tracking toward producing eight second stages, which would match the original launch cadence planned for this year,' the outlet notes. 'This likely is a fig leaf offered to Bezos, who, two sources said, was rather upset that Blue Origin would not meet (or even approach) its original target of eight launches this year.' More Elon Musk News: Elon Musk company reveals major leap forward The 'anti-Tesla' gives American buyers more good news Elon Musk's DOGE made huge mistakes with veterans' programs While Bezos may not be happy about this launch delay, it is excellent news for Musk, whose own company has seen three rockets explode so far this year. Even before the company's third mission spiraled out of control mid-flight, regulators had expressed concern about possible safety risks for people on the ground. There's no denying that both companies have faced challenges this year, as both race to outmaneuver each other and establish themselves as the leader of the space exploration market. Recent projections show that the space economy is expected to reach a $944 billion valuation by 2033, revealing a lot of room to run for problems plaguing both companies, though, raise the question of which one is better positioned to keep growing. SpaceX has launched several rockets this year, but its track record hasn't been encouraging, given the trend of explosions. And while Blue Origin has delayed its launch, that doesn't mean it will go well when it happens. On top of that, SpaceX still faces the possibility that it may lose out on lucrative federal contracts, unless Musk and Trump's feud is resolved soon. The zero-sum nature of financial markets means that for as long as its prospects appear uncertain, rivals will likely continue to gain. In this case, the list of companies that may benefit from SpaceX's uncertain future includes Blue Musk finally gets some good news from Jeff Bezos first appeared on TheStreet on Jun 11, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Trump-Musk feud shows danger of handing the keys of power to one person
After a year of effusive praise and expressions of love for each other, Elon Musk and Donald Trump exploded their political partnership in dramatic fashion this week. The highly public split included, among other highlights, the world's richest person accusing the president of the United States of associating with a notorious sex offender. Trump said Musk had 'lost his mind'. As Musk and Trump traded insults, each on his own social network, they also issued threats with tangible consequences. Trump suggested that he could cancel all of Musk's government contracts and subsidies – 'the best way to save money', he posted – a move that would have devastating consequences not only on the tech billionaire's companies but also on the federal agencies that have come to depend on them. Musk responded by announcing that he would begin decommissioning the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that Nasa relies on for transport missions, although he later reversed the decision. While the ongoing episode had the tenor of sensational reality TV, the fight between Trump and Musk once again exposed the danger of putting key public goods in the hands of private companies controlled by erratic billionaires. It highlighted how something like space travel, once a vaunted and collective national enterprise, can now be almost entirely derailed by the emotional whims of a single person. Musk and Trump's partnership had already fueled months of concern about corruption and calls for investigations into the Tesla CEO's use of his position in government to benefit his companies. The breakup has highlighted another risk of Musk's deep ties with the government, where the services that he provides can now become collateral damage in interpersonal disputes. Tens of billions of dollars hang in the balance of their fight. The messy, public way that the clash has played out also serves as a reminder of how unpredictable their decision-making can be. Musk's vow to sideline SpaceX's spacecraft and his reversal, without which the US would have immediately been prevented from reaching the International Space Station (ISS), appeared, for instance, as an emotional lash-out amid a string of other insults against Trump, and it was nearly impossible to discern whether he was serious. 'In light of the President's statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately,' Musk posted without warning on Thursday. 'Good advice. Ok, we won't decommission Dragon,' Musk followed up less than a day later, responding to an anonymous user with about 5,000 followers who said he should 'cool off and take a step back for a couple days'. If Musk and Trump's fight ends up disrupting government services or further turning them into political leverage, it will not have come without warning. Ever since Musk refused in 2023 to let Ukraine use Starlink in Crimea to launch a surprise attack against Russian forces, governments have dealt with the uncomfortable reality of Musk's control over global infrastructure. Musk's claim that he could hobble Ukraine's 'entire front line' by turning off Starlink caused a diplomatic incident earlier this year. Meanwhile, European governments have recently rushed to find alternatives to Starlink amid concerns over Musk's unpredictability. While Musk provoked foreign governments and acted as an unaccountable global power broker, the US has by contrast continued to hand him contracts and increase its dependence on his companies. Space operations in particular have become practically synonymous with Musk. Related: Trump and Musk's very public feud is like Alien v Predator for political nerds Since SpaceX won its first Nasa contract in 2006, the government has awarded about $15bn worth of contracts to the company and has come to depend on it for ferrying astronauts and cargo into space. Nasa has also contracted SpaceX for its planned crewed mission to the moon, as well as a mission to explore one of Saturn's moons. Last year, the agency turned to SpaceX when it needed to rescue two astronauts stuck on the ISS. The government's reliance on Musk's empire also extends beyond Nasa. The Pentagon has extensive contracts with Musk, using SpaceX to launch intelligence satellites. SpaceX was also the frontrunner in the Trump administration's plans to build a 'Golden Dome' missile defense shield, which has become a US national defense priority. Starlink, Musk's satellite communications service, had also made inroads into the government to the point that it was installed this year at the White House. Musk is still accountable to market forces and the investors backing his companies, as was made evident on Thursday after Tesla's shares plunged roughly 14% during his dustup with Trump. Musk has previously stated that he is willing to lose money over his ideology, however, and his immense wealth somewhat insulates him against even large shocks to his companies. When Tesla's shares dropped on Thursday, it wiped about $34bn off his total net worth in a single day – yet he remained the world's richest person by a gap of more than $90bn. The extensive reliance on Musk and the privatization of government services has always drawn criticism from ethics watchdogs and some aerospace and defense industry experts, but it appears especially risky now that Musk has threatened to hold certain services hostage. It has also served as a counterpoint to the project of slashing and privatizing the federal government that Musk spent his tenure with the Trump administration carrying out. Musk has furiously campaigned against bureaucracy, courts and regulators as impediments to getting things done, but these also exist as a bulwark against exactly the kind of unaccountable personal power and erratic whims that both he and Trump put on display during their clash.
