NASA says ‘expeditiously working’ with Elon Musk after Donald Trump asked Tesla boss to bring Sunita Williams home | Today News

NASA says ‘expeditiously working’ with Elon Musk after Donald Trump asked Tesla boss to bring Sunita Williams home | Today News

NASA said on Wednesday that it is “Expeditiously working” with billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX to safely bring astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth after being stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for several months.

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“NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore as soon as practical, while also preparing for the launch of Crew-10 to complete a handover between expeditions,” said NASA in a post on X.

Earlier, Elon Musk posted on X, “The President has asked SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the ISS as soon as possible. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”

In response to this post, President Trump expressed frustration with the Biden administration’s handling of the situation involving two astronauts, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 5, 2024. The astronauts were left on the ISS after an issue with their Boeing Starliner capsule delayed their return to Earth.

Also Read: Will Sunita Williams return early? Elon Musk to rescue her? Donald Trump sparks confusion over SpaceX vs NASA plan

Trump blames Biden administration

Trump blamed the Biden administration for what he described as “abandoning” the astronauts, and he called on SpaceX founder Elon Musk to bring them home. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “I have asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to go get the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden administration. They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!”

Musk, who had previously acknowledged the request, responded on X, stating that SpaceX would indeed bring the astronauts home. He criticised the Biden administration’s role in the delay, writing, “Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.” However, the characterisation of the astronauts as “stranded” and “abandoned” has been disputed.

Astronauts stranded in space

While astronauts Wilmore and Williams have been on an extended stay aboard the ISS, they were never in immediate danger and could have returned to Earth at any time NASA chose. Their return is expected to be facilitated by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which has had available seats for them since September 2024.

The situation began when the two astronauts launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule in June 2024 for a mission that was originally planned to last only eight to ten days. However, the mission faced technical difficulties, including propellant leaks and issues with the Starliner’s propulsion system.

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As a result, NASA extended their stay on the ISS to avoid disrupting the overall crew rotation schedule. This decision was made following a risk assessment and with the aim of maintaining operational stability on the ISS. While Wilmore and Williams continued their mission with no immediate risk, their Starliner capsule was returned to Earth remotely without them.

On September 28, 2024, SpaceX launched a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the ISS with two crew members aboard, leaving two seats vacant for Wilmore and Williams. The astronauts are now expected to return with the Crew 9 mission at the end of March 2025, after completing nearly 300 days in space. Both astronauts have stated they understood the decision to extend their mission, which had been made in coordination with NASA and SpaceX.

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NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts.

While Musk’s statements have sparked confusion about the immediate plans for the astronauts’ return, the reality remains that the astronauts are not in distress and are likely to remain aboard the ISS until the end of March 2025, as originally planned. 

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