Elon Musk defies DEI moves with space program focused on diversity after huge NASA contract – Irish Star

Never miss a thing! Get the latest news from Irishstar.com every dayWe have more newslettersNever miss a thing! Get the latest news from Irishstar.com every dayWe have more newslettersElon Musk’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency is focused on reducing government spending and increasing efficiency by, among other moves, eliminating waste and cutting diversity programs, following on from Donald Trump’s DEI policies, which have sparked controversy in many quarters, including the NFL. However, his SpaceX company – who reportedly recently blocked Musk from entering their buildings for a shocking reason – holds a multibillion-dollar contract with NASA, leading the design of a space craft that would put the first woman and first person of color on the moon.NASA, who recently released details about a ‘never seen’ before waterworld, revealed that it had awarded SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract in 2021 to design a vessel that would allow long-term human exploration of the moon as part of the NASA Artemis program, which was established in 2017, as part of $13 billion worth of governmental contracts with Musk’s company.In 2021, NASA outlined its ambitions to bring the first people to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972: “NASA is getting ready to send astronauts to explore more of the Moon as part of the Artemis program. “At least one of those astronauts will make history as the first woman on the Moon. Another goal of the Artemis program includes landing the first person of color on the lunar surface.”Following that, in 2023, NASA provided information on the personnel that could front the Artemis program. They announced that Navy Capt. Victor Glover, an esteemed black engineer, and Christina Koch, who is the record-holder for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, would be part of the moon exploration mission. For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here.Speaking in 2024, Glover spoke of the symbology of the diverse crew, which is also slated to include Canadian astronaut and fighter pilot Jeremy Hansen and former chief of the Astronaut Office Reid Wiseman, saying: “For a woman to be on the crew and for a Black astronaut to be on the crew, because that’s what our office looks like, to me it is important.”Since 2021 – when their collaboration was announced – NASA has awarded additional contracts to SpaceX for its moon landing mission. SpaceX has secured $2.8 billion in contracts with the potential for the financial commitment to expand to $4.4 billion, according to federal data, reports ABC News. NASA recently announced that it would comply with Trump’s DEI policies, including by amending its “Inclusion Plan Pilot Study,” which involves “references to NASA’s DEIA programs.” For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.

Source: https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/elon-musk-dei-spacex-nasa-34638071