Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s spectacular fallout could have catastrophic consequences for the future of space travel.The two men – the president and the person who previously referred to himself as the “first buddy” – have in recent hours been engaged in a high-profile fight that has seen them make a host of threats and allegations about each other in public.

After Trump threatened to cut government contracts given to Musk’s SpaceX rocket company and his Starlink internet satellite services, Musk responded via X that SpaceX “will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.

From space travel to military operations to the future of green energy, the U.S. has become reliant on Elon Musk's business empire. But it won't be easy for the government to end its reliance on Musk.