Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, continued his playful rivalry with Boeing after NASA chose SpaceX to bring back astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS). This decision came after technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft delayed the return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who launched into space on June 5th.
NASA announced on Saturday that it would use a SpaceX vehicle to bring the astronauts back in February. The Starliner spacecraft is expected to return to Earth autonomously in early September.
Musk took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his amusement. He joined an X user who jokingly commented on SpaceX beating Tesla to market with “ride-hailing services.” Musk responded, “Potential Tesla/SpaceX collab: ride-hailing works even if you’re in space!”
This lighthearted jab underscores the growing competition in the space industry. While Musk’s SpaceX has seen numerous successes, including the successful launch of the Starship rocket, Boeing has faced recent setbacks, including the Starliner issues and regulatory scrutiny after a door panel flew off an Alaska Airlines plane.
Despite these challenges, Musk remains optimistic about Boeing’s future. He commented on Sunday that aircraft companies won’t dominate the space industry, but also expressed hope for the new Boeing CEO, Kelly Ortberg, who took over from Dave Calhoun earlier this month.
“The new Boeing CEO is spending time in the factories. That is the right thing to do,” Musk said.
This event highlights the evolving landscape of space travel, with SpaceX and Boeing competing for dominance. Meanwhile, Tesla is also exploring its own foray into the “ride-hail” business with its autonomous driving technology and dedicated robotaxi product, set to launch sometime in the future.
