The tech billionaire has spent most of November at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, helping with the presidential transition.

The president-elect’s appearance in Texas demonstrates the growing closeness between the two billionaires, and Mr. Musk’s increasing influence in Mr. Trump’s orbit.

But there’s another way a Trump/Musk mind meld could reshape the space business — and, crucially, affect its competition with China, the U.S.’ main outer-space rival. That road also runs through Musk — via the “ Department of Government Efficiency” commission Trump named him to lead,