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ISSR&D: NASA praises SpaceX and commercial partners, looks towards the future
Robert Lightfoot, the current Acting Director of NASA, began the third day of ISS R&D with a rousing keynote on the roles of NASA and the ISS in the future of public and private space exploration.
ISS R&D’s keynote venue. (Teslarati/Eric Ralph)
Lightfoot began the timely statement that those creating new platforms often completely fail to fully predict how those platforms will eventually be used. The ISS is a prime example, with an array of commercial endeavors having come into existence for reasons that were undoubtedly less than prominent in discussions of the use of the ISS around the time it was be theorized and later constructed.
Another shining example, Lightfoot admitted that those involved with ensuring the survival of the ISS may have never imagined or predicted that the Station would act as a catalyst for programs like COTS, CRS, and CCtCap, which have encouraged considerable competition and led to a range of successes in a now-burgeoning commercial space market. In fact, NASA’s willingness to take risks, particularly in the development of the ISS and other platforms, has arguably enabled SpaceX to completely revitalize American participation in the commercial launch industry, and to do so in less than five years.
While not fully accurate, given that Ariane 5 carries two satellites per launch, this chart is still a profound demonstration of the rapid progress SpaceX has made in ensuring a more competitive commercial launch industry. (SpaceX)
Lightfoot went on to praise NASA’s commercial partners, and said that “[NASA will] be able to get four crew on station [once SpaceX, Boeing, and possibly Sierra Nevada are launching crew]”. He offered a brief overview of the past several trunk-loads of scientific instruments SpaceX Dragons have brought to the ISS, enabling it to remain “a vital platform for earth observation, [both hands-on and hands-off]”. A great deal of the experiments and cargo that have enabled such a burgeoning low Earth orbit economy aboard the ISS have been brought there in part by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft, which marked the first commercial spacecraft to reach orbit and later visit the International Space Station in 2010 and 2012 respectively.
Lightfoot actively asked himself and the audience what the future of the ISS may be or ought to be, and clearly had every desire to ensure the future of the vibrant LEO economy that the ISS has enabled. Whether this means that the ISS continues to function indefinitely or is replaced with a commercial platform, it will be necessary for NASA to eventually decrease or cut completely their funding burden of the ISS if NASA wishes to better develop the hardware and create the knowledge necessary for manned Mars exploration.
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- A prototype of Dragon 2 being tested in an anechoic chamber. (SpaceX)
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- Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner. (Boeing)
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- Orbital ATK’s Enhanced Cygnus, the second CRS partner that delivers cargo to the ISS. (NASA)
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- Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Dream Chaser Cargo, which received investment from NASA for their CRS-2 program. (SNC)
Undertaking all that is necessary, and doing it successfully, will require a great deal of cooperation in the development of space policy in the present and near future. Jeff Bingham, once a Republican aide in Congress and a crucial voice in gathering the votes to ensure the continued existence of the ISS more than a decade ago, noted that his past colleague, Ann Lukowksi, was a Democratic aide, and that “didn’t matter”. Together, with the help of numerous other crucial members, they arguably ensured that the House successfully passed a resolution to pursue the creation of the ISS with a margin of a single vote out of more than 400.
Bipartisan cooperation has long been a standout feature of space policy and decision-making, and is more obvious and crucial than ever in a time of increased polarization. Public investment in private space endeavors, whether direct or indirect, has ensured the existence of SpaceX and a thriving community of commercial space providers and users, and will soon allow the U.S. to rid itself of a reliance upon non-American launch vehicles for access to the ISS.
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Donald Trump pledges Tesla purchase amid anti-Musk protests
Trump noted that he would be buying a brand-new Tesla “as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk.”
While the news cycle today may be filled today with reports of Tesla vehicles being vandalized and stores being the site of aggressive protests and attacks, some key players in American politics seem to be rallying around the electric vehicle maker.
The most notable is U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated that he would be purchasing a Tesla to support Elon Musk.
Musk pushback and Tesla attacks
Elon Musk is heavily involved in the Trump administration, thanks to his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is designed to eliminate waste in the federal government. Amidst DOGE’s efforts, critics have rallied against Musk, and some have targeted Tesla. Over the past months, numerous Tesla stores have been vandalized, and some have been shot up and attacked with Molotov cocktails. Tesla vehicles were not spared, as cars from Cybertrucks to Model Ys became the target of protesters who are against the CEO.
Unfortunately, some Tesla owners on social media have noted that the attacks against their vehicles have resulted in some people getting physically hurt. Musk has also confirmed that he has been receiving a notable amount of death threats.
Trump rallies around Tesla
Trump appears to be aware that a large part of the efforts against Elon Musk and his companies were due to the CEO’s support and work for his administration. With this in mind, Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he would be buying a brand-new Tesla “as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk,” who he called a “truly great American.”
Following is Trump’s post in its entirety:
“To Republicans, Conservatives, and all great Americans, Elon Musk is ‘putting it on the line’ in order to help our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s ‘baby,‘ in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for.
“They tried to do it to me at the 2024 Presidential Ballot Box, but how did that work out? In any event, l’m going to buy a brand new Tesla tomorrow morning as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American. Why should he be punished for putting his tremendous skills to work in order to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN???”
Musk was very appreciative of the U.S. President’s pledge, thanking Trump in a post on X, his social media platform.
Elon Musk
Tesla stock predicted to rebound +90% within the next year: Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley sees Tesla’s 50% drop as a chance to buy! Analyst Adam Jonas predicts a +90% rebound fueled by AI development.
Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas predicts Tesla stocks will rebound over 90% within the next year.
Jonas reiterated his overweight rating for TSLA and still considers Tesla a top-pick stock. Tesla’s share price recently dipped 50% compared to its high record in December 2024. The Morgan Stanley analysts set a $430 price target for Tesla.
Jonas’ TSLA price target hints that he believes Tesla’s stock could rebound roughly 93% from its current value. Morgan Stanley sees Tesla’s current share price of $223.59–as of this writing–as a buying.
“We see the pullback as a buying opportunity for an embodies [artificial intelligence] compounder,” said Jonas in a recent note.
Jonas acknowledged Tesla’s challenges, including reduced sales, the company’s souring brand sentiment, and “a de-grossing of the market.” He pointed out that Tesla’s reputation is being reshaped as media narratives focus on Elon Musk’s political activities instead of the company’s efforts in AI.
The Morgan Stanley analyst has a $200 bear case scenario on Tesla, which he believes the stock could reach. On the other hand, he also believes Tesla stocks could rebound and reach his $800 bull case scenario within the next 12 months.
Jonas believes there will be a few catalysts that could bring TSLA stock back up. For instance, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) Unsupervised will be available for paid rideshare services later this year in Texas. While the Tesla Cybercab is still in the distant future, FSD Unsupervised rides with the Model 3 or Model Y would showcase the potential of the company’s robotaxi fleet.
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Tesla gets resolute support from Ron Baron
Billionaire investor Ron Baron isn’t sweating Tesla’s dip, backing Elon Musk despite global backlash. He believes the market shifts are intentional.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) received resolute support from billionaire investor Ron Baron, who supports Elon Musk despite recent backlash for his political activities.
Tesla stock is down 50% compared to its all-time high in December 2024. However, Ron Baron, the chairman and CEO of Baron Capital, doesn’t seem too worried about Tesla or Elon Musk.
“I think people are feeling unsettled right now with all the things that are happening so quickly. I think they’re intentional…And I think all the things they [referring to President Trump and Musk] say that make the market go up or down, you shouldn’t think those are by miscommunication. They’re all intentional,” Baron said.
After President Trump won the election, TSLA share prices skyrocketed. Longtime Tesla analysts adjusted their price targets and predicted President Trump would be a game-changer for the company over the next four years.
However, Elon Musk’s political activities and close ties to President Trump have angered many people across the globe. Tesla is taking the brunt of it all. People are attacking Tesla stores and Supercharger stalls, vandalizing Tesla vehicles, and holding protests against Elon Musk and the company.
Many speculate that the anger towards Elon Musk and, by extension, Tesla is now affecting business. However, there is no definitive proof that it ties people’s ire with Musk to Tesla’s stock dip.
Tesla’s dip is likely related to the company’s Model Y Juniper transition. After all, the electric vehicle maker is retooling all its Model Y factories to produce Juniper. Ron Baron also believes the automotive industry is at an inflection point right now as it prepares for autonomous vehicles, like Tesla’s robotaxi fleet.
Donald Trump pledges Tesla purchase amid anti-Musk protests
Tesla stock predicted to rebound +90% within the next year: Morgan Stanley
Tesla gets resolute support from Ron Baron
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