In a dramatic turn of events, former US President Donald Trump has directed tech mogul Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring back NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for over seven months. The two astronauts were supposed to return after a 10-day mission, but mechanical issues have kept them on the station since June 2024.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, slammed the Biden administration for what he described as "abandoning" the astronauts in space. He wrote, "They have been waiting for many months on the Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck, Elon."
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed Trump’s directive and said the company would act quickly to bring Williams and Wilmore home. "We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long," Musk tweeted.
Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule on June 5, 2024, for a mission initially expected to last 8-10 days. However, thruster malfunctions and helium leaks forced NASA to delay the return. The Starliner capsule was ultimately returned to Earth on September 7, 2024, but the astronauts remained aboard the ISS.
In the meantime, SpaceX launched a Crew Dragon spacecraft in September 2024 to bring astronauts to the ISS. However, only two seats were occupied, with the remaining two seats reserved for Williams and Wilmore's return. Initially set to return at the end of February 2025, their return has now been postponed to late March to allow SpaceX additional time to prepare a new spacecraft, Crew-10, for the journey.
The extended stay in space has raised concerns about the astronauts' health, particularly Williams’ well-being. Recent images suggested she might have lost weight, though Williams has downplayed the concerns, stating, “I think my body has changed a little bit, but I weigh the same."
If the astronauts are brought back as planned in late March 2025, they will have spent nearly 300 days in space, far exceeding their original mission duration.
