Elon Musk – the richest man in the world and the owner of the “Space Exploration” company – faces a worsening crisis with the right -wing political movement in the United States, led by President Donald Trump. This conflict reveals the fragility of the economic structure of a sector that is estimated at a global size of $ 630 billion, which is largely dominated by only one entity, “SpaceX”, according to an article published by the writer and economist Lionel Lyanant at Bloomberg.
From glorification to rebellion
Earlier, Trump described Musk as the “American genius” when he spoke publicly about the ability of “SpaceX” to reuse the missiles, saying in one of the meetings: “I called Elon.
However, this political spinning turned into a runner -up, after Mask adopted a hostile letter to the institution under the banner of “Dark Maga”, while his companies – including “Tesla” – continued to benefit from $ 22 billion in US government contracts.
The tension reached its climax when Musk threatened – before quickly declining – by stopping the operation of the “Dragon” spacecraft on which NASA relies on sending astronauts.
Shying monopoly and conflicts of interests
According to Lurante, the recent “space exploration” successes are no longer measured by releases, but rather their influence within government institutions. The company currently acquires about 80% of the missile launcher market, and launched more than 8,000 satellites through the “Starlink” system, which makes it a vital center for communications and defense systems.
However, the increasing dependence on a mask in such basic services, in light of its volatile behaviors, raises fears of the politicization of the entire space sector, according to the writer.
The report indicates that “the threat of the transit mask – which was quickly withdrawn – to stop the work of the Dragon capsule on which NASA relies on the transportation of astronauts, brought back to mind the geopolitical extortion he previously practiced in the battlefield in Ukraine, when the billionaire stopped attacks against Russia via the Starlink unit of SpaceX.”
He also adds: “The success of the SpaceX X was not this year on the launch platform, but in the power corridors, as its market share appears to be used as a tool to extract rent instead of exploration. The changes in high -speed Internet support rules have opened the door for granting for Starlenk, as well as the possibility of integrating it into a defense project known as the ‘Golden Dome’. – According to a response – with a pushing for the regulatory approvals for Starlink. “
Competitors in a critical position
In light of this crisis situation, the US government began contacting competing companies such as “Blue Oreggen”, affiliated with Jeff Bezos – as revealed by Washington Post – to ensure its readiness to provide alternatives.
In Europe, governments are trying to remedy the gap, as France plans to raise its share in the company “Utasat” to 30% by pumping 1.5 billion euros ($ 1.7 billion), and is preparing to test the “Thimis” missile project.
However, as the report warns, the vacuum that the dominance of Musk may succeed if his relations with the state collapsed may not be easily filled, especially in light of terrifying numbers: European spending on military space is equivalent to only 1/15 of the volume of American spending, according to a report by the French “Montan” Institute. While the needs of the “One Web” network – which follows Eutelsat – is estimated at more than 4 billion euros (about $ 4.32 billion) until 2030, according to the estimates of “Bloomberg Intelligence”.
After a mask?
The writer notes that the consequences are not limited to Mask alone, but rather to the entire space system, which may become “cooler and less stable” if the political war continues.
NASA is already facing sharp deductions in its budget, and the transformation of the sector into a personal dispute square will affect long -term decisions that require confidence and continuity.
Just as Bezos lost a $ 10 billion defensive contract due to a “personal hostility” from Trump, the future of the sector has become a hostage of passions.
