NASA Versus Elon Musk's SpaceX: Neil deGrasse Tyson Weighs In
Neil deGrasse Tyson, in an interview with NDTV, also compared Musk with other "billionaire boys" and shared his insights into the future of space tourism.
American astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is of the view that SpaceX has "done more of what NASA has done", amid the ongoing comparisons between the Elon Musk-led company and the US government's official space agency.
SpaceX is merely building on the legacy of National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Tyson said in an interview with NDTV, highlighting how NASA pioneered space station construction using the Space Shuttle.
However, private companies like SpaceX can operate with less bureaucracy, making space missions more cost-effective and efficient as compared to the missions executed by a government space agency, he argued.
Musk And 'The Billionaire Boys'
"If you want me to get on an Elon rocket, I'll say first have him send his mother to Mars and back. Then I will go and know it's safe," he joked, while referring to Musk's dream project— a colony on Mars.
Though Tyson has in the past clashed with Musk over the Mars project, he also praised him for his achievements on the space front. Musk has gone the extra mile than the "other billionaire boys"—his reference to Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson—who had raised hopes of space tourism with their half-hour ride above the atmosphere, he said.
Future Of Space Tourism
"Space tourism could be going above the atmosphere for half-an-hour and taking a look down at Earth or going to orbit and seeing 16 sunrises within 24 hours," he explained.
On making space travel popular, Tyson suggested to reduce the cost of space tourism. "We need to bring space travel down to under $10,000," he said, envisioning a future where an average person might choose a space trip over traditional vacations. Tyson even proposed lotteries as a potential way to make space tourism more accessible. "I bet people would pool all that money and take one trip in space because the novelty is high," he said.
Tyson shared that humanity is on the brink of a new space era, where missions, delays, and rescues will become as routine as commercial flights. “If we can make space tourism affordable, it will revolutionise the industry,” he said.
