Although it seems unlikely that President Joe Biden will put the brakes on NASA’s next manned Moon landing mission, that is exactly what it was when the cranky POTUS got into the fray with SpaceX founder Elon Musk and Tesla founder SpaceX on Friday.
Biden made a joke about Musk during a rare TV press conference and wished him luck on his trip to Moon.
But, Musk has no plans to visit the Moon.
NASA hopes to send astronauts back to the Moon with its Artemis program in the coming years. The first unmanned Artemis test flight, which was initiated under President Donald Trump in 2017, is expected to take place later this year. Artemis III, which is expected to be launched in 2025, will send a crew to the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17, 50 years ago.
Expect delays.
The SLS heavy-lift rocket Boeing has not yet flown is the first launch vehicle for Artemis missions. NASA selected SpaceX’s reusable Human Landing System, (HLS), to be the lunar lander last year under the Biden Administration.
Musk would like SpaceX to launch the first Mars colony. SpaceX does not currently have a Moon program.
America has a Moon program. SpaceX is one of many contractors.
Although Artemis was created under the previous Administration, the Biden White House seems to be excited about it. They have earmarked billions of dollars for “landing the first woman and person from the color on the Moon.”
So, why did Biden wish Musk sarcastic “luck” on his lunar landings?
It’s the economy that is stupid. In this instance, it’s Biden’s stupid economy. It’s rife in inflation and likely headed towards stagflation or even recession. This is according to several prominent economists as well as a billionaire in the space/electric vehicle industry.
Musk sent an email last week to Tesla executives stating that he feels “super bad” about the economy.
You know the feeling of having to fill up your car with gas, buy steaks to grill, or just buy formula for your baby.
CNN reported that Musk’s warning about a possible recession was “the most direct and prominent forecast of its kind”
Musk’s letter was apparently leaked to Reuters by someone. It was featured in all the news reports that day, including a special appearance at Biden’s press conference.
Biden still tries to convince the world that the economy is doing well under his leadership. His ego is too irritated to answer questions about Musk’s “superbad feeling”.
Biden was asked about Musk’s “super bad feeling” at his press conference. He responded with some comments about how other large car companies that make electric vehicles are investing in our economy.
“Well, I’ll tell you, Ford is increasing its investment dramatically, even though Elon Musk is referring to it. Ford is investing more in new electric vehicles. Ford has 6,000 new workers, union employees, I might say, in the Midwest,” he said, adding that Stellantis, former Chrysler Corporation, also makes similar investments in electric cars. Intel has added 20,000 jobs and is making computer chips.
Ford and Chrysler must make massive investments, but they are not as successful as Tesla.
Things got crazy.
“So, you’re sure, lots of luck with his trip to the Moon. I mean, I don’t — you know …” Biden, trailing off.
Biden’s actual meaning is not known, even though he said “you know”.
Was Biden just getting in a jab at Musk, while not considering all the workers at NASA, Boeing, and countless contractors he insulted? Not to mention the astronauts themselves, including a woman and a person of color.
Or did Biden forget that Artemis is a U.S. government program and that Biden himself is its chief executive, at least nominally?
Or did Biden mistake NASA’s Moon program for Musk’s dreams of building a city on Mars?
Although I cannot say I have ever heard anyone confuse the Moon with Mars, Biden does make a lot of absurdities.
Biden’s large mouth made it seem that he could make fun of the most important space program in the country this century, while simultaneously expressing casual disdain about the lives and work of American astronauts.
