Billionaire Elon Musk claimed that former U.S. President Donald Trump asked him to expedite the return of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk announced, “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so.” He further criticised the Biden administration, calling it “terrible” that the astronauts had been left there for so long.
NASA, however, has consistently refuted claims that Williams and Wilmore are stranded, assuring that they are in good health and spirits. The two astronauts originally launched to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June 2024. Their mission was meant to last just 10 days, but technical issues forced NASA and Boeing to reassess the spacecraft’s safety for reentry. After weeks of troubleshooting, NASA deemed it too risky to return Starliner with the crew onboard.
In response, NASA arranged for SpaceX to bring the astronauts back as part of its Crew-9 mission. To accommodate them, NASA adjusted Crew-9’s original lineup, removing two crew members from the Dragon capsule launched in September 2024. This meant Williams and Wilmore would remain on the ISS until Crew-9’s scheduled return in February 2025.
Delays In SpaceX's Mission
However, additional delays arose in December when SpaceX required extra time to prepare the new Dragon spacecraft for the Crew-10 mission. As a result, the return of Crew-9, along with Williams and Wilmore, was pushed to late March 2025, following Crew-10’s arrival at the ISS.
Musk’s latest remarks suggest that the Crew Dragon capsule, named "Freedom," may now leave the ISS earlier than planned to bring Williams and Wilmore home sooner. While no official confirmation has been given by NASA, this development has sparked discussions about the logistics and urgency of their return.
