'Caught up in politics': Was Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore's return delayed on purpose?

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Sunita Stranded 

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore were supposed to return after eight days, but their mission has stretched to nine months due to delays.

Musk’s Accusation

Elon Musk claims the Biden administration rejected his offer to bring Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore home early for political reasons.

Trump’s Push

Donald Trump urged Elon Musk to “go get” the astronauts, leading to an earlier return date of March 19 or 20.

Boeing’s Failure 

The astronauts’ original ride, Boeing’s Starliner, suffered major technical failures, forcing NASA to send it back to Earth uncrewed.

Politics in Orbit 

Elon Musk alleges that the Biden administration delayed the rescue to prevent Donald Trump from benefiting politically before the 2024 election.

Astronaut’s Support 

Barry Wilmore backed Elon Musk’s claims, stating that what he said was “absolutely factual”, though he wasn’t privy to all the details.

NASA’s Denial 

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson insisted that politics played no role in the delay, contradicting Elon Musk’s allegations.

Biden’s Silence 

The White House has not addressed accusations that they purposely postponed the return of Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore.

SpaceX’s Rescue 

After months of uncertainty, SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission is now set to bring Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore home this month.