Elon Musk's grip on the future of U.S. space exploration

One man alone is literally determining America’s physical trajectory in space: Elon Musk and his SpaceX have now become not just suppliers, but almost an indispensable infrastructure for NASA and the U.S. government. The argument that many take for granted is that this dependence is merely a positive side effect of Musk's entrepreneurial genius. But if the most unpredictable, divisive, and at times impulsive figure in Silicon Valley becomes the key custodian of America's space capabilities, the risk is not just economic: it is a risk to national security and strategic autonomy. Elon Musk is not only the founder of SpaceX; he is also the mastermind behind Tesla, Neuralink, and Starlink, and a figure who alternates between brilliant statements and outbursts that make diplomats and investors tremble. A few years ago, when NASA decided to entrust SpaceX with its most crucial missions, one of its in-house engineers confided: “If SpaceX sneezes, NASA catches a cold.” And that was no joke. In 2023, 70% of U.S. orbital launches were carried out by SpaceX. No other private company has ever achieved such a percentage. But the story that few know about is the night when Musk, on his own initiative, decided to restrict access to the Starlink network over the Black Sea during a Ukrainian military operation. A single message from him was enough to change the geopolitics of a battle. That's why the question is not just how efficient or revolutionary SpaceX is, but who actually holds the red button of American space technology. We always think that competition is the best guarantee of security, but in this case, the lack of real alternatives makes an entire nation vulnerable to the choices of a single entrepreneur. There is one aspect that is often overlooked: if SpaceX were to go public, as rumored, shareholder pressure and market volatility could push Musk to make even more unpredictable decisions. Or worse, to cede part of the control to foreign entities. The key phrase to remember is this: when a single man controls a superpower’s access to space, it is no longer just a matter of business. If this prospect has set off alarm bells for you, you can tap “I'm In” on Lara Notes: it means that the issue of technology dependence is relevant to you today. And if you happen to discuss it with someone, on Lara Notes you can mark the conversation with Shared Offline: that's your way of saying that the exchange really mattered. This insight comes from ft.com and has saved you almost a minute compared to the original article.