Elon Musk has found himself at the center of an online dispute after an astronaut blasted his recent claim about a NASA mission.
The SpaceX founder had vowed to return two stranded astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, to Earth within weeks, and criticized the Biden administration for leaving them in space.
In a February 2025 interview with Sean Hannity, Musk claimed that the astronauts were stuck in space due to “political reasons.”
He said, “They were left up there for political reasons, which is not good,” and even suggested that President Biden had intended to leave them stranded.
But the accusations did not sit well with Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who had worked with SpaceX on a mission in 2023.
Taking to social media, Mogensen called Musk’s statements “a lie” and criticized him for complaining about honesty in the media.
Musk Hits Back at Criticism
Musk, never one to back down from a challenge, fired back at Mogensen’s accusation.
He called the astronaut “fully r*******” and claimed that SpaceX had been ready to bring the astronauts back months earlier.
Musk insisted that he had personally offered the Biden administration help but that the return mission was delayed for “political reasons.”
However, Mogensen didn’t retreat either. In a calm and measured response, he reminded Musk that the return of Williams and Wilmore had been planned for months, with the astronauts scheduled to return aboard Crew-9, which had already been on the International Space Station (ISS) since September.
Timeline of the Mission
Williams and Wilmore had originally left Earth aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule in early June 2024, with plans for a short stay on the ISS.
Unfortunately, problems with their spacecraft led to delays, and after extensive tests, NASA deemed the Starliner unsafe for re-entry.
As a result, a Crew Dragon capsule from SpaceX was dispatched to attempt a rescue.
While the capsule successfully reached the ISS, it has not yet been cleared for a return trip with the astronauts on board.
The delay sparked criticism, with both Trump and Musk blaming the Biden administration for the extended stay.
Trump and Musk’s Comments
Trump joined Musk in blaming the administration, posting on Truth Social in late January, asking Musk to bring the astronauts home.
He claimed that the astronauts had been “virtually abandoned” by the Biden administration and expressed hope that Musk’s mission would succeed.
NASA eventually announced that the astronauts would return to Earth on March 19, 2025, which is about two weeks earlier than previously planned.
Astronauts Respond to Criticism
Despite the public criticism, Wilmore and Williams have maintained that they did not feel abandoned.
In a recent interview with CNN, Wilmore explained, “We don’t feel abandoned. We don’t feel stuck.
We don’t feel stranded,” though he acknowledged their eagerness to return home.
Both astronauts emphasized the importance of keeping the regular rotation of ISS crew members going, with their relief crew already named.
The new crew includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.
This relief crew will meet with Wilmore and Williams to go over ongoing scientific work and maintenance tasks on the station.
The Bigger Picture
While the mission to return Williams and Wilmore remains in the spotlight, it also sheds light on the logistical challenges of manned space exploration.
As these astronauts work to finish their extended mission, they represent the many behind-the-scenes efforts required to maintain the ISS and ensure the safety of all involved in space missions.