In a dramatic turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump has tasked SpaceX CEO Elon Musk with the urgent mission of bringing back NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS). The two astronauts, who were initially scheduled for a brief 10-day mission in June 2024, have been stranded on the ISS for over seven months due to technical failures in Boeing’s Starliner capsule.
Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump criticized the previous administration, blaming the delay on President Joe Biden’s government. “I have asked Elon to ‘go get’ the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden administration. They have been waiting for many months on the Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon,” he wrote.
Confirming the directive, Musk responded on X (formerly Twitter).
Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 62, were launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024, for what was supposed to be a short-duration mission. However, malfunctions in the spacecraft’s thrusters and a series of helium leaks forced NASA to keep the astronauts aboard the ISS while troubleshooting the issue. The return mission was initially planned for September 2024 but was repeatedly delayed.
In an earlier contingency plan, a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft was launched with only two astronauts in September, leaving two seats vacant for Williams and Wilmore’s potential return. However, the return trip was further delayed to late March 2025 to allow for the deployment of SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission, which will replace the astronauts on board.
The extended mission has raised concerns about the astronauts’ health, particularly Williams, whose recent images sparked speculation about weight loss. Addressing these concerns in a November 2024 interview, Williams reassured the public, saying, “I think my body has changed a little bit, but I weigh the same.”
If SpaceX successfully brings them back in late March, Williams and Wilmore will have spent nearly 300 days in space - far beyond their planned mission duration.