Elon Musk accuses the Biden administration of leaving astronauts stranded in space, sparking controversy and debate over NASA’s handling of the situation.
Did Biden really know about this?
At a Glance
- Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore deny being “abandoned” on the International Space Station
- Elon Musk claims the Biden administration delayed the astronauts’ return for political reasons
- SpaceX launched a rescue mission in September, but NASA has not yet cleared the return
- President Trump has enlisted Musk’s help to expedite the astronauts’ return
- NASA announces a new return date of March 19, two weeks earlier than previously scheduled
Astronauts Refute Claims of Abandonment
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have strongly refuted claims that they were “abandoned” in orbit at the International Space Station (ISS), after Elon Musk – the man responsible for saving them – said that they should have been brought back to earth much sooner.
The astronauts’ statement also comes in response to assertions made by President Donald Trump, who suggested that the previous administration had left the astronauts stranded for political reasons.
They’re really criticizing the people who rescued them?
During a CNN interview, both Williams and Wilmore emphasized their readiness and commitment to their extended mission. “We don’t feel abandoned, we don’t feel stuck, we don’t feel stranded,” Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore said.
But they…literally were.
Musk’s Accusations and Trump’s Involvement
The controversy intensified when Elon Musk, in a joint interview with Donald Trump on Fox News’ Sean Hannity Show this week, accused the former Biden administration of deliberately delaying the astronauts’ return.
Musk stated, “They were left up there for political reasons, which is not good.”
This claim was echoed by Trump, who suggested that Biden was avoiding publicity by stalling the mission.
“They didn’t have the go-ahead with Biden. He was going to leave them in space. I think he was going to leave them in space … He didn’t want the publicity,” Donald Trump said.
In response to the situation, Trump has publicly requested Musk and SpaceX to intervene and bring the astronauts home. Musk has committed to returning the astronauts to Earth within four weeks, stating, “At the President’s request, or instruction, we are accelerating the return of the astronauts,” Elon Musk said, revealing it would take “about four weeks” for him to get them home.
NASA has cited logistical challenges and necessary safety checks as reasons for the extended stay of Williams and Wilmore on the ISS. The astronauts were initially scheduled for an eight-day mission but have been on the station for 258 days due to issues with their Boeing Starliner capsule. NASA determined that the Starliner was not safe for human return, leading to its empty return to Earth.
Why is it that any company other than those run by Elon Musk doesn’t seem to actually get anything done?
