July 01, 2020

Trampolines, Lava and the Constitution


A jocular, years-long online feud between the head of the Russian Space Agency, Dmitry Rogozin, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has finally come to an end.

Rogozin, who is uncharacteristically outspoken for a bureaucrat, was thrust to the leadership position at Roscosmos in 2018. In 2014 he famously quipped on his personal Twitter account that, in the absence of a manned spaceflight program, the US might as well “use a trampoline” to get its astronauts to the space station. At the time, Russia was the only country able to blast humans into orbit, and the US was passing biting sanctions (following the Russian annexation of Crimea) that in part affected Russia’s space industry.

When SpaceX successfully launched its first manned reusable rocket in May, Musk had the last laugh: “The trampoline is working,” he said.


Digital Subscription Required

Get unlimited digital access for just $2 a month.

Don't have an account? signup

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955