Musk is rapidly pushing forward the privatization of space and satellite operations that have long been managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Under his leadership, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has acquired confidential data from NOAA’s competitors—an alarming development that has further cemented SpaceX’s dominance in the space and satellite industry. Already, this initiative has led to significant layoffs at NOAA and the redirection of critical federal contracts to Musk’s companies, particularly SpaceX and Starlink.
Our coalition is deeply concerned by the sharp increase in government contracts being awarded to SpaceX. This trend signals a potential monopoly over services that are vital to national safety and public well-being. The privatization of NOAA’s core responsibilities—such as weather forecasting, climate research, and environmental monitoring—poses serious risks to the quality, accessibility, and impartiality of the information we all rely on. Shifting these functions to private hands jeopardizes data transparency, public safety, and the equitable distribution of knowledge that has historically been free and publicly available.
We are calling for an immediate congressional investigation into this matter.
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