London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Elon Musk mocks Biden after SpaceX completes first all-civilian flight

Elon Musk mocks Biden after SpaceX completes first all-civilian flight

As of Monday morning, the White House had yet to comment on the mission, dubbed “Inspiration4,” which marks the first time an all-civilian crew has ever made it to Earth’s orbit

Elon Musk took a swipe at President Biden after the commander in chief failed to acknowledge SpaceX’s completion of its first all-civilian mission, in which four amateur astronauts orbited Earth for three days.

One of Musk’s 60 million Twitter followers pointed out that the White House and Biden had yet to comment on the mission, which successfully returned to Earth Saturday evening.

"The President of the United States has refused to even acknowledge the 4 newest American astronauts who helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars for St. Jude," user @rhensing wrote. "What’s your theory on why that is?"

"He’s still sleeping," Musk responded Sunday afternoon.

As of Monday morning, the White House had yet to comment on the mission, dubbed "Inspiration4," which marks the first time an all-civilian crew has ever made it to Earth’s orbit.

The crew — Jared Isaacman, Hayley Arceneaux, Chris Sembroski and Dr. Sian Proctor — spent three days circling the planet at an altitude of more than 335 miles, about 75 miles higher than the International Space Station and on a level with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Isaacman, 38, an accomplished jet pilot, commanded the mission after reportedly paying $200 million for the privilege.

The billionaire donated two of the seats on the mission. The other went to Sembroski, who won a sweepstakes that raised $113 million in St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital donations.

The flight helped raise more than $200 million for St. Jude’s after a $50 million donation from Musk himself.

The Crew Dragon capsule that carried the quintet of astronauts splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Kennedy Space Center in Florida Saturday evening, shortly after 7 p.m. ET.

"On behalf of Space X, welcome home to planet Earth," a dispatcher said to the crew on a live stream of the event.

"Your mission has shown the world that space is for all of us, and that everyday people can make extraordinary impacts on the world around them."

Top officials from The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, including NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, congratulated those involved in the mission.

SpaceX aerospace competitors, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin, also congratulated the company on the mission.

It’s not the first time Musk has been at odds with the Biden administration. Last month, Musk said that no one from Tesla was invited to the White House for a summit on the future of electric cars even as rivals Ford, GM and Stellantis were present.

And more recently, Musk criticized a Biden administration proposal that would allocate an extra $4,500 in incentives to buyers of certain, new electric cars — but only if they’re made in the US by unionized workers.

Tesla’s factories are not union-represented and Musk has opposed unionization efforts in the past.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prison Officer Sentenced for Inappropriate Conduct with Inmate
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
×