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Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has vowed to expedite the return of two NASA astronauts who have been stuck in space for nearly eight months.
Musk, who serves as the CEO of SpaceX and the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency,” criticized the Biden administration for the delay in retrieving the astronauts.
Sunita Williams Stranded in Space
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2023 as part of a mission that was initially planned to last only a week.
The duo traveled to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner, the company’s first crewed spaceflight. However, the spacecraft soon encountered technical issues, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions.
Due to these problems, NASA deemed it unsafe for the astronauts to return using the Starliner, which was sent back to Earth without a crew.
The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so.
Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2025
SpaceX to Assist in Astronauts’ Return
Musk announced on his social media platform X that SpaceX has been asked by President Donald Trump to bring the stranded astronauts home. He criticized the Biden administration for the delay, stating, “Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”
NASA had already devised plans for Wilmore and Williams to return aboard a SpaceX capsule, with an initial target date of February. However, the return mission has now been postponed to March or early April.
Delays in Return Mission
Although a SpaceX capsule is already in space, the launch of replacement astronauts—who must arrive at the ISS before Wilmore and Williams can depart—has been postponed. NASA typically ensures overlapping crew transitions to maintain operations smoothly aboard the ISS.
SpaceX delayed the launch of the replacement crew to allow additional work on the spacecraft. Despite the setbacks, Musk reaffirmed SpaceX’s commitment to bringing the astronauts back safely and as soon as possible.
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