Musk says SpaceX will decommission Dragon Spacecraft after Trump contract cancellation threat
Elon Musk announces end of Dragon spacecraft program following Trump's threat to cancel SpaceX contracts.
The company originally modelled the Dragon spacecraft after a tractor trailer truck, but has changed course since then. The impetus to scrap the spacecraft comes in light of President Donald Trump’s warning to cancel government contracts associated with entrepreneur Musk's businesses. The comments were made through Musk's lucrative social media platform X, further fanning flames of an ongoing feud between two, now former, business colleagues.
Currently, Dragon is the only U.S. spacecraft able to transport astronauts and cargo to and from the ISS, elongating the amount of time it has taken for NASA and other federal partners who depend predominantly on SpaceX for prime portions of their space missions.
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Dragon spacecraft decommissioning begins
Following the president's announcement about cancelling my government contracts, @spaceX will now begin the decommissioning of its Dragon spacecraft effective immediately," Musk wrote on Thursday. The Dragon capsule has been a critical component to U.S. space-based operations, returning NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams most recently from the ISS. He also delivered more than 6,700 pounds of supplies in April.
NASA, whose crew includes three astronauts aboard the ISS, added through Press Secretary Bethany Stevens that NASA would continue to comply with the president's space policy and engage its partners in pursuit of goals the President established. Since 2008 SpaceX has received more than $20 billion in federal contracts, and has been a major aerospace contractor for the federal government.
Elon Musk responds to Trump on his X account that he will retire the Dragon spacecraft. Photo: CNBC
Impact on space missions and future plans
The Dragon spacecraft has been an important part of U.S. space logistics. It can carry seven passengers and bring back a substantial cargo from orbit. It is the only active spacecraft built by a private company that has successfully accomplished human missions to the ISS.
SpaceX is developing its next-generation Starship vehicle, but its progress has not been consistent. SpaceX's Starship rocket has exploded on several test launches, including most recently in May. In 2023 SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell expected Dragon would be carrying humans for another six to eight years, although Musk's surprise announcement may derail those plans.
