President-elect Donald Trump may plan to personally attend a SpaceX rocket launch in Texas on Tuesday, another sign of his close ties to the company’s billionaire founder and CEO Elon Musk.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday issued “Temporary Flight Restrictions for VIP Movement” over Brownsville, Texas, in the kind of practice that usually precedes a high-profile visit.
Flight restrictions in place on Trump’s oceanfront property in Palm Beach, Florida, will be temporarily lifted around the same time.
Trump’s transition team did not respond to a request for comment on the President-elect’s plans.
A close friendship has developed between Trump and Musk, the Tesla CEO and the world’s richest man who founded SpaceX in 2002. Musk often advises Trump and has long stayed at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach.
Musk was part of Trump’s entourage that traveled from Florida to New York on Saturday for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event.
The launch will be SpaceX’s sixth test flight into space for Starship, the company’s next-generation rocket system at the heart of Musk’s goal of sending humans and cargo to Mars.
NASA plans to use Starship to land humans on the Moon this decade as part of its Artemis program, an effort expected to involve more Mars missions and further the cosmic plans of SpaceX and Musk under Trump.
Using large arms attached to a launch tower, SpaceX will again try to capture Starship’s 233-foot-tall (71-meter) first-stage “Super Heavy” booster about 10 minutes after liftoff, an innovative reuse technique that it intrigued Trump the first time SpaceX tried it in October.
“Did you see how that bastard landed today?” Trump said at a rally after the Starship test.
Space exploration and innovation? What key initiatives do you believe will drive the future of space travel under this administration?
Interviewer: Good morning everyone! I’m excited to interview our two distinguished guests today – Dr. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, and President-Elect Donald Trump. Thank you both for joining us.
To start off, Dr. Musk, can you tell us a bit about the upcoming launch scheduled for tomorrow? What was the inspiration behind designing the ‘Starship’ rocket system, and how do you foresee it revolutionizing space travel not just for Mars missions but also in our daily lives here on Earth?
Musk: The Starship rocket system is designed to carry both humans and cargo to destinations in deep space, including Mars, the Moon, and potentially other planets as well. It is a fully reusable system, which means that we can land the rocket back on Earth after each mission, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. The inspiration behind it comes from the need for a more sustainable and affordable approach to space exploration. As for the upcoming launch, we are continuing our tests to refine the system and push the boundaries of what is possible in space travel. We hope to make history with this launch not just in terms of reaching new heights but also in terms of reusability and sustainability.
Interviewer: President-Elect Trump, you have shown a keen interest in space exploration and even joked about joining NASA. Can you share your thoughts on the role of space exploration in national security and commercial benefits? How do you see your administration supporting private companies like SpaceX in their efforts to push the boundaries of space exploration?
Trump: Space exploration plays a vital role in national security, and it offers many commercial opportunities as well. From communication satellites to remote sensing, space has become an integral part of our daily lives. It’s crucial that we remain competitive in this arena, and I believe that private companies like SpaceX have an important role to play. My administration will continue to support their efforts and promote innovation in this critical field. We will also work towards ensuring that the United States remains a leader in space exploration.
Interviewer: Dr. Musk, you have been closely involved with the Trump administration, providing input on various policy matters. Can you tell us about your working relationship with the President-Elect? How has his administration supported your vision for
