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A Shaky Theory Quickly Debunked
The controversy started when Musk, during an appearance on Fox News, alleged that astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded on the ISS due to a political decision by the Biden administration. He claimed that SpaceX could have brought them back months ago, but the White House had declined his offer. This version of events was immediately challenged by Andreas Mogensen, who has some authority on the subject having piloted a SpaceX mission to the ISS in 2023.
On X, the astronaut did not mince words: What a lie. And this from someone who complains about the dishonesty of mainstream media.
A clear and straightforward response… which Musk did not appreciate. The billionaire’s reaction? A string of insults, because that’s Elon Musk’s style now. Classy.
The Real Facts
In reality, Williams and Wilmore were scheduled to return last September aboard a Boeing Starliner spacecraft. However, due to technical issues with the spacecraft, their return was delayed for safety reasons. NASA then decided to bring them back with SpaceX’s Crew-9, as had been planned for months.
The astronauts themselves spoke out to defuse the situation: no, they do not feel abandoned. According to Wilmore, this situation is part of the known risks of a test mission. In short, there’s nothing political about it, just technical difficulties.
Musk, Always Adding Fuel to the Fire
Despite clear explanations from NASA, Musk pressed on with his narrative. He even suggested moving up the ISS deorbiting to 2027 (instead of 2030) to move on and focus on Mars. This is more a publicity stunt, especially since SpaceX has secured a billion-dollar contract to manage the station’s return to Earth.
In the end, this tussle raises more questions about Musk’s motives than about the fate of the astronauts. One thing is clear: Williams and Wilmore are not abandoned, and space certainly did not need this additional drama.