Musk: "We're going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction."

[speak easy]

Elon Musk: “We’re going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction.”

The speculation is that NASA will dump Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Bezos' Blue Origin will 'take' the Moon, and Musk will have Mars. What does it feel like living in a Tech-Bro-Bannana Republic? A place with something like speculation like this.

During the last 10 days, Musk has begun airing [some criticisms on NASA's Artemis Moon program] publicly. On Christmas Day, for example, Musk wrote on X, "The Artemis architecture is extremely inefficient, as it is a jobs-maximizing program, not a results-maximizing program. Something entirely new is needed."

Then, on Thursday evening, he added this: "No, we’re going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction.

It would be one thing if Musk was just expressing his opinion as a private citizen. But since playing a significant part in the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States last year, Musk has assumed an important advisory role for the incoming administration. He was also partly responsible for the expected nomination of [crony] Jared Isaacman to become the next administrator of NASA. Although Musk is not directing US space policy, he certainly has a meaningful say in what happens.

"I was born after the Moon landings; my children were born after the final space shuttle launch," [Isaacman posted on X] "With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place. We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth."

https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/01/elon-musk-were-going-straight-to-mars-the-moon-is-a-distraction/

Blue Original already has a NASA contract for a Lunar Lander. The speculation is Bezo will be given a contract for the rocket as well. Queue the Washington Post critique.

Elon, may I respectfully suggest that you go plant a South African flag on the surface of the Sun.