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On February 20th, 2023, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his belief that the time had come for NASA to initiate preparations for deorbiting the ISS. "It has served its purpose," he tweeted. In contrast to NASA's existing plan to retire the station by 2030, Musk recommended a timeline of just two years from now. He noted that the fate of this decision lies with the president but emphasized the urgency of the matter.
Musk's close ties with political leaders, especially former President Donald Trump, have given his opinions more weight than those of a typical business leader. His involvement in Trump's "Department of Government Efficiency" has heightened speculation about influence over space policy.