Washington D.C., July 29, 2025 —What started as an innocent tweet by tech billionaire Elon Musk quickly turned into one of the most unexpected and costly national security operations in recent history. On a seemingly ordinary day in early 2023, Musk sent out a tweet inviting space enthusiasts and amateur astronauts around the globe to join a friendly but ambitious competition: the first-ever “Race to Mars.” Accompanied by the hashtag #RaceToMars, the tweet went viral almost instantly, amassing over 3 million online sign-ups within a matter of days.
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