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NASA has hedged many of its bets on SpaceX despite its controversial and majorly overworked owner, Elon Musk. The agency’s director, Bill Nelson, recently spoke with NPR and revealed that Musk’s decision-making has come under scrutiny in recent years. However, Nelson expressed confidence in SpaceX’s president, Gwynne Shotwell, who he believes is excellent at running the company.

This isn’t the first time Nelson has expressed similar sentiments. In a tell-all memoir released in 2022, former deputy director Lori Garver revealed that Nelson was initially opposed to SpaceX before taking over as head of NASA. Despite publicly softening on Musk, Nelson’s animosity towards the entrepreneur occasionally shows, reflecting the agency’s significant investment in SpaceX.

As NASA continues to rely on SpaceX for its spaceflight needs, the dynamics between Musk, Shotwell, and the agency remain a topic of interest and concern. Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving relationship.