Elon Musk at Viva Expertise (Vivatech) 2023. Credit score: Frédéric Legrand | Dreamstime.com
Elon Musk formally endorsed Donald Trump for president of the US on July 13, 2024, shortly after Trump survived an assassination try. Musk, a billionaire expertise entrepreneur, has made groundbreaking contributions in multiple industries, notably area journey and exploration.
Even earlier than Musk’s endorsement, Trump was reportedly contemplating giving the billionaire an advisory role if elected for a second time period. With Musk’s public help and financial backing, it now appears much more probably that Trump would supply him an official place in his administration.
As somebody who research space and international relations, I’m fascinated with how Musk would possibly affect U.S. area coverage if Trump wins in November. Their partnership might considerably form the way forward for U.S. area exploration and protection, in addition to shift the stability of energy between the private and non-private sectors in area.
Present U.S. area coverage
A nation’s area coverage displays its imaginative and prescient and priorities for outer area. U.S. area coverage – a mixture of continuity from previous administrations and up to date directives – is printed in key paperwork, together with the U.S. National Space Policy, the U.S. Space Priorities Framework, Space Policy Directives and different official publications.
Present area coverage emphasizes sustaining U.S. management in area, defending U.S. area property and dealing with business and worldwide companions to advertise secure, safe and accountable habits in area. Its key elements include rising the American business area sector and returning astronauts to the Moon.
Musk’s firm SpaceX has been instrumental in advancing these goals, supporting each NASA and the U.S. Space Force – the latest department of the U.S. army – of their missions. SpaceX’s improvements, such because the reusable Falcon 9 rockets, the Starlink satellite tv for pc web and the highly effective Starship, have dramatically transformed entry to and use of outer area.
The 2016-2020 Trump administration advanced lots of the present U.S. area coverage objectives, a few of which intently align with Musk’s personal ambitions for area.
House synergy: Trump’s and Musk’s shared ambitions
Trump and Musk agree on three important goals in area.
First, each are dedicated to human growth past Earth. Trump’s Space Policy Directive 1, signed on Dec. 11, 2017, set the U.S. on a course to return astronauts to the Moon and set up a everlasting presence there, adopted by human missions to Mars and past.
This directive aligns with Musk’s imaginative and prescient of colonizing Mars, which is guiding the event of Starship: the most powerful and massive spacecraft ever built. Designed to be fully reusable, Starship will carry giant payloads and be able to deep area journey – together with lunar landings and journeys to the Crimson Planet.
NASA’s Artemis program, which originated from Trump’s House Coverage Directive 1, plans to return people to the Moon by 2026. To attain this objective, NASA partnered with SpaceX in 2021 to develop the Starship Human Touchdown System spacecraft, which can transport astronauts and cargo from lunar orbit to the Moon’s floor and again.
Second, each Trump and Musk help business involvement in area. Trump’s House Coverage Directive 1 particularly requires business and worldwide partnerships, marking a shift from the previous administration. President Joe Biden has continued this push to develop a strong business U.S. area sector.
This recognition of the pivotal function that non-public industries can play in area exploration aligns with Musk’s report as an entrepreneur and innovator. Below Musk, SpaceX has not solely provided essential services to NASA, however it has additionally pushed innovation to new heights. The corporate has considerably lowered the cost of space ventures and made area extra accessible to a broader audience of area explorers.
Third, each favor deregulation. Trump’s administration sought to scale back regulatory boundaries by way of directives like his Space Policy Directive 2, which aimed to streamline business area laws to encourage quicker development and innovation within the non-public area business.
Even so, Musk has usually discovered present space regulations too restrictive. He has steadily challenged U.S. regulators – such because the Federal Aviation Administration which oversees launch and reentry necessities – and has referred to as for “comprehensive deregulation.”
Contrasting area visions: Musk vs. Trump
When it comes to area priorities, Musk differs from Trump in three important points.
First, Musk is targeted on the long-term goal of constructing humanity a multi-planetary species, beginning with colonizing Mars and establishing a self-sustaining human presence there.
In distinction, Trump’s method to area emphasised asserting U.S. management by attaining near-Earth and near-term milestones, like returning People to the Moon. Consequently, throughout his presidency, Trump prioritized the Artemis program and launched the Space Force to safeguard U.S. capabilities in area.
Second, whereas each worth the non-public sector, Musk, by way of SpaceX, has pushed for cost reduction, innovation and fast iteration in area expertise. SpaceX’s Falcon rockets have reflown some 300 times, considerably reducing spaceflight prices. SpaceX additionally achieved main milestones in business spaceflight, together with changing into the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station.
In distinction, to fund the Artemis program, Trump referred to as for a significant increase in NASA’s funds. This transfer emphasised investing in government-led applications to attain area goals.
Third, Musk seems extra open to sharing patented information, even along with his rivals. He famously acknowledged that “patents are for the weak,” arguing that they block innovation and stifle progress. Whereas Musk continues to patent innovations, together with those related to SpaceX, he has additionally expressed help for fostering innovation by way of openness and collaboration.
In distinction, Trump’s area coverage targeted on nationwide safety and strategic competitors. The creation of the House Pressure mirrored Trump’s view of area as a contested, army area the place the U.S. should defend its property and keep a aggressive benefit.
Musk’s probably impression on future U.S. area coverage
If Musk had been to tackle a bigger, formal function in a second Trump administration, he would probably push for bold area missions and timelines. The preliminary focus would proceed to be on the Artemis program and lunar settlements, with elevated consideration finally shifting to human missions to Mars and past.
A Trump-Musk partnership would probably additional advance the commercialization of area. Musk might advocate for extra deregulation of area actions, doubtlessly difficult present security and safety requirements. Whereas Musk can also be prone to push for price discount, innovation and efficiency, it might be fascinating to see how his efforts would fare in opposition to authorities forms.
Whether or not Musk would have an effect on U.S. area coverage concerning worldwide rivals like China stays unsure. Musk’s presence in a second Trump administration might, nonetheless, make clear whether or not business area actors may also help decrease tensions between nations in area.
Musk is just not a politician. He’s a visionary and drawback solver targeted on the way forward for humanity. These qualities are additionally most probably to form his impression on U.S. area coverage.
Svetla Ben-Itzhak, Assistant Professor of House and Worldwide Relations, Johns Hopkins University
This text is republished from The Conversation underneath a Artistic Commons license. Learn the original article.
