Russian space agency boss invites Elon Musk to discuss ‘extraterrestrial life’ over cup of tea in Moscow, praising SpaceX founder
The head of Russia’s space command has offered to sit down with billionaire tycoon Elon Musk, the founder of American rocket firm SpaceX, to discuss efforts to explore the universe and whether there’s life on other planets.
Speaking to CNN as part of his first interview with Western media, Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin said the South Africa-born entrepreneur was an example of how wealthy people should invest in important causes. Rogozin told the US outlet that “I like what your people are doing – people who spend their own money on things useful for overall society.”
According to him, Musk “realizes many of the ideas and thoughts that we wanted to realize, but did not get to because, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, our space program halted for some time. We respect him as an organizer of the space industry, and as an inventor who is not afraid to take risks.”
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The space agency chief went on to say that Musk, who made his fortune through the online payment service PayPal before acquiring electric car firm Tesla and founding SpaceX, would be welcome “to be a guest of my family.” If the businessman is in Moscow, Rogozin went on, the pair could discuss issues such as “exploring the universe, extraterrestrial life, and how we can use space to preserve life on Earth.”
“I’ve already set the tea kettle on heat,” he added.
Rogozin appears to have changed his tune since 2019, when he said he was uninterested in discussing Musk’s reusable-rocket technology, which SpaceX has pioneered. At the time, he said he would gladly meet the serial investor for a private sit-down if he ever came to Russia, but added, “He’s a busy man, I’m a busy man, why should I invite him?”
Rogozin has previously hit out at American officials for purportedly undermining the terms of their co-operation with Russia in space. A series of sanctions imposed by Washington in December included a number of industries he said were critical to Moscow’s program, including even the institute that houses the mission control center for the International Space Station. The measures, he claimed, were both “illegal” and “stupid,” given the US’ dependence on Russian rockets to ferry astronauts to and from the orbital base.
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