Elon Musk has publicly stated that SpaceX will bring home two astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), after a request from President Trump. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Musk criticized the Biden administration for allegedly leaving the astronauts stranded. In his post, he stated that the President had directed SpaceX to bring back the two astronauts stranded on the ISS as soon as possible. He criticized the Biden administration for leaving them there for an extended period, calling the situation “terrible.
Trump echoed Musk’s concerns, claiming that astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams had been “abandoned in space” due to government negligence. He posted on Truth Social, urging Musk to facilitate their return. The two astronauts have been aboard the ISS since June 2024, following a delayed return caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule.
Despite political backlash, NASA maintains that the astronauts were never in danger. Their mission, originally planned for 10 days, was extended due to propulsion issues and a propellant leak in the Starliner spacecraft. Instead of risking an unstable return, NASA opted to adjust crew rotations, ensuring ISS operations remained unaffected. The Starliner capsule was remotely flown back to Earth without them.
In September 2024, a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft reached the ISS, leaving two vacant seats for Wilmore and Williams. However, NASA scheduled their return with the Crew 9 mission at the end of March 2025. While Musk’s remarks suggested an urgent return, prematurely bringing them back could disrupt ISS functions, leaving only one U.S. astronaut onboard. This could delay crucial research and create logistical challenges, especially with Crew 10’s arrival potentially postponed.
Although Musk’s statements created confusion, the reality remains unchanged—Wilmore and Williams will likely complete nearly 300 days in space before returning in March 2025. NASA and SpaceX coordinated this timeline to maintain ISS stability, dismissing claims that the astronauts were abandoned.