
Two NASA astronauts have been drifting in space aboard the Starliner capsule for close to eight months since June 5 last year, when they left Earth on what was thought to be an 8-to-10-day mission.
US President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday that he has contracted billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring back two stranded NASA astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS), namely Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
The two NASA astronauts, who traveled to space aboard the Starliner capsule on June 5 last year for a presumed eight-to-10-day mission, have been stuck in space for close to eight months, and concerns regarding their health deterioration have sparked debate.
Trump accused the previous Joe Biden administration of virtually “abandoning” Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in space and called the NASA astronauts “brave.”
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, announced, “I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to “go get” the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration. They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck, Elon!!!”
Of course, Elon Musk posted the development on X, saying: “The President has asked SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the International Space Station as soon as possible. We will do so. It’s terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”
In September 2024, SpaceX launched a four-seat Crew Dragon spacecraft to the ISS. Two crew members, NASA’s Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, were aboard, leaving two seats vacant for Williams and Wilmore.