Trump Urges Musk to Bring NASA Astronauts Back Early
Former US President Donald Trump urges Musk to bring back two NASA astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) ahead of schedule. The astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, were already set to return in March aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
Musk confirmed Trump’s request on Tuesday, saying the former president wanted the astronauts to return “as soon as possible.” The SpaceX CEO responded, “We will do so,” implying a possible shift from NASA’s current timeline.
Trump’s Unusual Intervention in NASA Operations
Trump took to Truth Social to make his demand public, stating:
“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!!!”
His comments surprised NASA officials, as presidents typically do not interfere with space agency operations. A NASA spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Starliner Delays and NASA’s Backup Plan
Wilmore and Williams originally traveled to the ISS last summer aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for an eight-day test mission. However, issues with the craft’s propulsion system extended their stay to nearly a year.
In August, under President Joe Biden’s administration, NASA deemed Starliner unsafe for return. As a result, the agency reassigned them to return on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Crew Dragon capsule, already docked at the ISS, had empty seats designated for their return.
NASA initially planned for the astronauts to leave in February, but in December, the agency postponed the departure to late March. The delay allowed SpaceX to complete processing a new Crew Dragon capsule for the upcoming Crew-10 mission.
Potential Complications with an Early Return
If SpaceX were to bring Crew-9 back to Earth earlier than scheduled, it could create staffing challenges on the ISS. NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who arrived with a Russian crew in September, would be the only American on board. NASA has expressed concerns that such an imbalance could complicate maintenance of the station’s US components.
Despite Trump’s remarks, Wilmore and Williams remain healthy and continue their scientific research aboard the ISS. While Boeing has struggled with Starliner’s development since 2019, some of Trump’s advisers have recently attempted to place the blame on the Biden administration, despite Trump having no involvement in the spacecraft’s development.
With inputs from Reuters
