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Trump vs Musk: How their feud is driving Nasa into its worst crisis in years

SpaceX is the only US firm transporting astronauts and supplies to the ISS

Last updated: June 08, 2025 | 12:38

Stephen N R, Senior Associate Editor

5 MIN READ

A public and escalating feud between Trump and Musk has exposed just how vulnerable Nasa has become — reliant on a single private company for its most critical missions.

AFP file

Dubai: America’s space programme, once a symbol of unshakeable ambition and global leadership, is now teetering on the edge of a crisis.

A public and escalating feud between US President Donald Trump and billionaire tech magnate Elon Musk has exposed just how vulnerable Nasa has become — reliant on a single private company for its most critical missions.

Stephen N RSenior Associate Editor

A Senior Associate Editor with more than 30 years in the media, Stephen N.R. curates, edits and publishes impactful stories for Gulf News — both in print and online — focusing on Middle East politics, student issues and explainers on global topics. Stephen has spent most of his career in journalism, working behind the scenes — shaping headlines, editing copy and putting together newspaper pages with precision. For the past many years, he has brought that same dedication to the Gulf News digital team, where he curates stories, crafts explainers and helps keep both the web and print editions sharp and engaging.