• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

‘Take time in quiet’: Melinda French Gates says to spend at least 10 minutes a day on self-care

2

Harry and Meghan's homecoming comes with a multimillion-dollar tax catch—waiting four years could have shielded their $60 million fortune

3

Current price of oil as of August 21, 2026

1

‘Take time in quiet’: Melinda French Gates says to spend at least 10 minutes a day on self-care

2

Harry and Meghan's homecoming comes with a multimillion-dollar tax catch—waiting four years could have shielded their $60 million fortune

3

Current price of oil as of August 21, 2026
TechElon Musk

Russia Says Elon Musk is ‘Stepping On Our Toes’

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 30, 2015, 12:58 PM ET
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Unveils Company's New Manned Spacecraft, The Dragon V2
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveils the company's new manned spacecraft, The Dragon V2, designed to carry astronauts into space during a news conference on May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, California. Photograph by Kevork Djansezian — Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

If you ask Russia, Elon Musk is no Fred Astaire.

Speaking in an interview with Russia-based Rossiya 24 TV, Dmitry Rogozin, deputy prime minister in charge of the country’s defense, said that while his country is seeking ways to make space exploration cheaper, Elon Musk’s SpaceX is proving to be a roadblock.

“The main goal today is to make space cheap,” Rogozin said, according to Bloomberg, which obtained a copy of the interview. “Competitors are stepping on our toes. Look at what billionaire Musk is doing with his projects.”

Rogozin’s comments refer to SpaceX’s successful liftoff and landing of a reusable rocket. The company earlier this month launched a Falcon 9 rocket that successfully deployed 11 suborbital satellites and subsequently returned to earth and landed upright, allowing it to be used again.

The reusable spacecraft concept is an important one for all space agencies and companies around the world. The cost to deploy a spacecraft and complete a mission is astronomical. Indeed, NASA’s now-defunct Space Shuttle program cost the agency $1.6 billion per flight by the end of 2010, creating an untenable cost that the U.S. government controversially decided to cut. Having a reusable rocket, however, dramatically reduces the costs and expands the possibilities of space exploration.

SIGN UP: Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

“SpaceX believes a fully and rapidly reusable rocket is the pivotal breakthrough needed to substantially reduce the cost of space access,” SpaceX wrote in an article on its website earlier this year. “The majority of the launch cost comes from building the rocket, which flies only once. Compare that to a commercial airliner—each new plane costs about the same as Falcon 9, but can fly multiple times per day, and conduct tens of thousands of flights over its lifetime. Following the commercial model, a rapidly reusable space launch vehicle could reduce the cost of traveling to space by a hundredfold.”

WATCH: For more on SpaceX and its Falcon 9 rocket, check out the following Fortune video:

SpaceX’s successful landing places a potential strain on Russia. The country has been relied upon to transport American astronauts to space, which has helped Russia secure much-needed revenue from the U.S. If SpaceX, which also works with NASA, can continue on its path and dramatically reduce the cost of space travel, Russia will be forced to catch up.

For its part, Russia has faced a series of setbacks in its long-sought-after attempts at reusable rockets. Despite floating the idea several years ago, the country has been off to a slow start. In August, the country finally announced that it was dedicating resources to a “Reusable Space Rocket System.” The country’s program will receive financing to the tune of $185 million between 2021 and 2025, according to Sputnik News, a site that tracks Russia’s space activities.

MORE: Elon Musk Makes a Landing

Despite his concerns about SpaceX, Rogozin brought himself to compliment Musk’s efforts. He said what SpaceX has done is “very interesting,” adding that it was “well done” and his agency treats “this work with respect.”

Regardless, it appears another space war is on—and Elon Musk is in Russia’s crosshairs.

SpaceX declined to comment on Rogozin’s comments.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Tech


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.