Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
Donald Trump-Elon Musk showdown threatens United States space plans
The Mercury
|June 10, 2025
SPACEX’S rockets ferry US astronauts to the International Space Station.
Its Starlink satellite constellation blankets the globe with broadband, and the company is embedded in some of the Pentagon's most sensitive projects, including tracking hypersonic missiles.
So when President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to cancel Elon Musk’s federal contracts, space watchers snapped to attention.
Musk, the world’s richest person, shot back that he would mothball Dragon -- the capsule NASA relies on for crew flights -- before retracting the threat a few hours later.
For now, experts say mutual dependence should keep a full-blown rupture at bay, but the episode exposes just how disruptive any break could be.
Founded in 2002, SpaceX leapfrogged legacy contractors to become the world’s dominant launch provider.
Driven by Musk’s ambition to make humanity multiplanetary, it is now NASA's sole means of sending astronauts to the ISS -- a symbol of post-Cold War cooperation and a testbed for deeper space missions.
Space monopoly?
The company has completed 10 regular crew rotations to the orbiting lab and is contracted for four more, under a deal worth nearly $5 billion.
This story is from the June 10, 2025 edition of The Mercury.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Mercury
The Mercury
Pirates aim for results and entertainment as squad depth boosts momentum
ORLANDO Pirates are one of the big teams who play not only for results but also to keep The Ghost on the edge of their seats by playing enterprising football and consistently securing victories.
2 mins
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
Respect my teachers who taught me the English language
“Sticks and stones will tickle my bones but words will never hurt me’, they say!
1 mins
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
Storm approaching for under-strength Sharks as top opponents line up to take a bite
IT is a strange rugby world we live in when a Springboks versus Wales match kicks off during a busy United Rugby Championship tomorrow.
3 mins
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
Transforming Trump's G20 snub into a strategic advantage for South Africa
THE announcement by US President Donald Trump that South Africa will be “uninvited” from the 2026 G20 Summit is, at face value, a diplomatic provocation. But beneath the headlines lies a far more consequential opportunity: the chance for South Africa - with its business leadership at the forefront - to redefine its global narrative, champion multilateralism and strengthen its position as a bridge between the West and the Global South.
3 mins
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
Slot feels 'safe' despite Liverpool's latest humiliation
ARNE Slot insisted he is confident of avoiding the sack despite troubled Liverpool’s dismal 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.
2 mins
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
ERASMUS BETS ON FORWARDS
SPRINGBOK coach Rassie Erasmus has stacked his bench with forwards for tomorrow’s Test against Wales in Cardiff, underscoring the challenges posed by player availability outside the international window.
1 mins
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
Sun International criticises Treasury's new gambling tax proposal
SUN International on Tuesday slammed a proposed new gambling proposal by Treasury saying gambling will make the industry one of the highest taxed gambling industries in the world and destabilise the legal gambling industry.
3 mins
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
Thanksgiving reflections: Embracing family and gratitude
ON Thursday this week, millions of people in the United States were “home” for Thanksgiving.
1 min
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
Your debt could be insured, and you may not even know
MILLIONS of South Africans face unexpected financial shocks every year, many dont realise they may already have insurance that covers their loan repayments if something unexpected happens.
2 mins
November 28, 2025
The Mercury
KAL Group reports strong recovery with 16.7% dividend increase
KAL Group, the South African agri, fuel and convenience speciality retailer listed on the JSE, reported a good recovery in the second half of the year to September 30 and this enabled it to declare a dividend that had been raised by 16.7%.
2 mins
November 28, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size