ISS no more? Elon Musk wants it gone by next year, pushes for focus on Mars

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

ISS Abandonment

Elon Musk urges deorbiting the ISS by 2026, claiming it has “served its purpose” in space.

Mars or Bust

Musk calls the Moon a “distraction,” pushing for a direct human mission to Mars instead.

Trump’s Space Pivot

With Trump’s backing, Musk pushes for shifting NASA’s focus from the Moon to Mars.

NASA’s Resistance

NASA insists the ISS and Moon are crucial stepping stones, rejecting Musk’s Mars-first plan.

SpaceX Takeover?

Musk’s influence grows as SpaceX prepares to build the ISS deorbit vehicle for NASA.

Rushing the End

The ISS is set for deorbit in 2030, but Musk wants it scrapped four years early.

Political Power

Musk leads a federal audit for Trump, influencing space policy and government layoffs.

Russia’s Exit

Russia plans to leave the ISS by 2028, aligning closer to Musk’s deorbit timeline.

Space Race Redefined

Musk’s aggressive Mars-first push challenges NASA’s long-term Moon-Mars strategy.