Elon Musk has announced plans to bring two NASA astronauts back to Earth within the next four weeks, accusing the previous administration of abandoning them in space.
The SpaceX founder made these remarks during an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox, alongside President Trump.
Musk Criticizes Former President Biden for Leaving Astronauts Stranded
Musk strongly criticized former President Joe Biden for what he called political motivations behind the astronauts being left at the International Space Station (ISS).
He explained that SpaceX had been asked to expedite their return, revealing that it would take about four weeks to bring astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams back home.
“They were left up there for political reasons, which is not good,” Musk said. “I think he was going to leave them in space.”
SpaceX’s Effort to Rescue the Astronauts and Their Delayed Return
SpaceX launched a Crew Dragon Capsule back in September in an effort to rescue the stranded astronauts.
Although it successfully reached the ISS, it was not cleared to bring them back home yet.
Wilmore and Williams, who were originally scheduled to stay at the ISS for only eight days, have now spent 258 days in space.
They were left stranded after an issue was identified with their Boeing Starliner capsule, which NASA eventually deemed unsafe for the journey back.
The Astronauts’ Reassurance and Positive Outlook
Despite Musk’s criticism, Wilmore and Williams have reassured the public that they do not feel abandoned.
Wilmore shared, “We don’t feel abandoned, we don’t feel stuck, we don’t feel stranded,” while acknowledging why others might think that. Williams also stated, “It was a little bit longer stay than we had expected. We’ve made the most of it.”
Both astronauts emphasized the importance of the handover process, where a new crew arrives to take over operations at the ISS.
NASA Adjusts the Return Schedule for Astronauts Wilmore and Williams
In light of the situation, NASA has announced that Wilmore and Williams will return home on March 19, about two weeks earlier than initially planned.
The change comes after the incoming crew, scheduled to launch on March 12, will be taking over their duties on the ISS.
President Trump’s Involvement and the Push for a Quicker Return
In January, President Trump hinted that he and Musk had a plan to bring the astronauts home sooner than expected.
In a post on TruthSocial, Trump stated, “I have just asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to ‘go get’ the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned by the Biden administration.”
He expressed his hope that the rescue would be successful, adding, “Good luck Elon!!!”
The Relief Crew Ready to Take Over the ISS
The astronauts who will replace Wilmore and Williams have been named as NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.
This new crew will meet with the current astronauts to discuss ongoing scientific projects and the maintenance tasks they will need to handle upon their arrival.