President Donald Trump has publicly urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to launch a mission to retrieve two U.S. astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who remain aboard the International Space Station (ISS) months after their planned return. Trump criticized former President Joe Biden for allegedly abandoning them, writing on Truth Social, “Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe.”
Astronauts delayed due to Boeing’s Starliner issues
The pair initially traveled to the ISS on Boeing’s Starliner capsule in June 2024 for an eight-day mission, but the spacecraft suffered thruster failures and helium leaks, forcing NASA to cancel its return trip. Williams and Wilmore have since remained in orbit while engineers assess their safe return.
NASA planned SpaceX return mission
Despite Trump’s claims, NASA had already tasked SpaceX with bringing the astronauts back, with a Crew Dragon mission initially scheduled for February. However, due to delays in SpaceX’s newest spacecraft, the mission has been postponed until late March or early April.
Musk pledges to act, slams Biden
Musk responded to Trump’s directive, stating that SpaceX would retrieve the astronauts “as soon as possible” and blaming the Biden administration for the extended delay. However, NASA maintains that the astronauts are not stranded, as empty seats on SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission remain available if needed.
Impact on Boeing’s space program
The Starliner’s failure to complete a crewed return trip is a major setback for Boeing, which has faced continuous technical issues with its spacecraft. The ongoing problems have further damaged the company’s reputation in both aerospace and commercial aviation.
