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Indian-origin Sunita Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule last June, but technical issues forced them to stay at the ISS for months, instead of eight days.
NASA has roped in Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring back the two astronauts. (Reuters)
Tech mogul Elon Musk on Tuesday (local time) said US President Donald Trump has asked his company SpaceX to bring back two Boeing Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore – who have been stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for months – as soon as possible.
Indian-origin Sunita Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule last June on what should have been a week-long test flight. However, technical issues with their spacecraft forced them to an extended stay at the ISS.
Lamenting that it was “terrible” that the Biden administration left the two astronauts stranded in space for so long, SpaceX CEO Musk said, “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so.”
The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so.Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2025
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump confirmed that he had asked Musk and SpaceX to “go get” the two “brave” astronauts who have been “virtually abandoned” 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,” he added.
NASA had already roped in SpaceX to help facilitate the return of Williams and Wilmore. In August, the American space agency announced that it had asked SpaceX aboard its Crew-9 capsule, which was scheduled to launch in September.
However, the mission was hit by another delay as NASA announced that the Crew-10 spacecraft, which would relieve Crew-9 and the stranded pair, would now launch no earlier than March 2025, and both teams would remain on board for a “handover period”.
During their approach to the ISS, five of the 28 thrusters of the Starliner spacecraft carrying Williams and Wilmore failed, which extended their trip from days to months in space. Their extended delay fuelled health conditions as pictures showed Williams undergoing a drastic weight loss.
However, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate spokesperson Jimi Russell had then assured that all astronauts currently stationed on the ISS are in “good health” and are undergoing “routine medical evaluations”.
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