Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk proclaimed his love for NASA, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, on Twitter Wednesday.
What Happened: “I do love NASA, always have,” said Musk reacting to a post that contained an excerpt from a CBS 60 minutes interview with the journalist Scott Pelley dating back to 2012.
I do love NASA, always have
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 4, 2021
In the interview, an emotional Musk told Pelley that when NASA called and informed him that SpaceX had won a $1.5 billion contract he just blurted out “I love you guys.” Musk said that NASA had saved him and SpaceX “financially” and “emotionally.”
.@nasa called @elonmusk and told them that they had won the $1.5B contract. @elonmusk response “I love you guys.” pic.twitter.com/iKKc4UVvvV
— Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) August 4, 2021
As of SpaceX’s latest round of funding in April 2021, the company is valued at $74 billion.
Why It Matters: On Tuesday, SpaceX rolled out the gigantic rocket booster the company will use to send its Starship vehicle into space.
See Also: Tesla Cybertruck And SpaceX Starship To Use A New Alloy, Musk Reveals
Musk shared a short video of the super-heavy booster from his Twitter account as well as some photos.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 3, 2021
Last month, NASA gave SpaceX a $178 million contract to launch a spacecraft to Jupiter’s moon Europa, as per Reuters. That mission will blast off in October 2024.
SpaceX operates the 23-story tall Falcon Heavy, currently the most powerful space launch vehicle.
In the 2021 budget, NASA was permitted to consider commercial alternatives to its own Space Launch System.
Read Next: Starship Is Top Priority, Elon Musk Tells To SpaceX Employees
Photo: By JD Lasica on Wikimedia
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