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SpaceX introduced a first prototype of a meter-laden Starship rocket into the air Tuesday night, placed it on the beachfront launch site, and landed it on a concrete slab.
The large-scale vehicle, called Starship SN5 (for serial number 5), looked more like a flying grain silo or a can of beer than a first edition of a Mars rocket. However, this feat represents a key step toward SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s dream of creating a fully reusable area vehicle that can reach, return and populate the red planet.
In a lie-filled Tweet Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump uploaded a NASASpaceFlight video of the SN5 flight, and gave the impression of taking credit for SpaceX’s flight by insinuating that it is part of a NASA program.
“NASA closed and died until I restarted it. It is now the busiest position of its kind on the planet … And we have the Space Force to accompany her. We have completed more than any management in the most sensible 3. 1/2 years. I’m sorry, but it’s not all about Sleepy Joe, Trump said.
After the tweet, many spaceflight reporters, industry experts and even an astronaut pointed out that Trump was far from the target.
Jeff Foust, senior editor and aerospace analyst at Space News who has followed for decades, tweeted the following reaction to the president’s claims:
“Fact verification: – NASA did not shut down or die at the beginning of the existing administration.- Many recent NASA successes originate from past administrations.- Starship verification that President retweets has nothing to do with NASA; it’s a personal effort issue through SpaceX.”
According to Foust’s first point, NASA has been operating frequently since its inception on October 1, 1958.
With his key moment, Foust was referring to the spaceflight paintings of the Bush and Obama administrations that preceded Trump for more than a decade. In 2004, President George W. Bush introduced a spaceship progression advertising program at NASA. The purpose was to send shipping functions to the International Space Station prior to the 2011 withdrawal of NASA’s space shuttle program.
This effort, which funded SpaceX to expand an uncomfortable vehicle called Dragon, preceded and reported a NASA follow-up effort called Commercial Crew. President Barack Obama first funded the program in 2009 and legal investment until he left in 2016. This investment allowed SpaceX (and Boeing) to expand a crewed vehicle.
This effort culminated in SpaceX’s latest achievement: the resurrection of a manned flight area from U.S. soil. Specifically, the company trusted $2.7 billion, the maximum of which was awarded in 2014, to expand its Crew Dragon area. The vehicle was unveiled in May with two astronauts on board and landed in August, effectively completing its first area flight with people.
“This serves the nearly 17,000 men and women committed to @NASA,” tweeted Phil Larson, a former SpaceX employee, in reaction to Trump’s claims.
After the story was published, Leland Melvin, a former NASA astronaut, posted his own opinion on Trump’s claims on Facebook.
“It’s a lie, ” said Melvin. “I worked at NASA for 24 years and not once was closed unless Congress couldn’t produce a budget, so I was fired along with many of my friends and colleagues, but it never stopped.
He added: “Honor, legacy, teamwork, discovery, pride and advancement of all peoples, our civilization, is what NASA is about NASA. What I believed in then and now. The Young Bloods are looking for the truth. Be honorable and wise. Attributes you expect from the President of the United States of America. Good luck on your trip. “
SpaceX has gained investments and NASA assistance for Starship’s progression, such as orbital filling of fuel tanks, which is a necessity to pull the spacecraft out of low-Earth orbit. NASA also awarded SpaceX a $135 million contract on April 30 to expand a Starship lunar landing system, which the paintings are just beginning, and Starship’s existing verification program is well ahead.
To date, SpaceX has mainly and personally raised millions of dollars to fund Starship’s progression. Musk also ordered many of the rocket company’s workers to prioritize vehicle progression efforts in launching the SpaceX announcement in Boca Chica, Texas, a personal non-governmental facility.
Biden’s crusade refused to comment on the factor and instead provided a preview of the Democratic nominee on the risk of Demo-2, congratulating those involved.
White House and SpaceX spokesmen did not respond to Business Insider’s requests for comment. A NASA spokesman said the company would look for a suitable user to comment on the matter.
This story has been updated with new information.
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