Houston, Texas – The Starliner saga continues as President Donald Trump steps in to expedite the return of two astronauts from the International Space Station. NASA plans to replace a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with another in order to bring astronauts back earlier than expected, aligning with Trump’s call to save the crew. Trump notably asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to assist in the return of the astronauts he claimed were “virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration.” This move will require reshuffling spacecraft on the ground and potentially delaying future missions to the ISS.
The two astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, initially launched to the ISS on board Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner in June 2024. Due to thruster issues, NASA deemed it unsafe for the crew to return on the Starliner, prompting a return trip on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The Crew-9 mission, with two astronauts instead of four, was launched in September to bring Williams and Wilmore back from the ISS. However, technical issues with the SpaceX Crew-10 vehicle delayed the crew handover, pushing back the Starliner astronauts’ return until early April.
NASA now anticipates that the Dragon capsule won’t be ready for launch to the ISS until late April. To expedite the return of the astronauts, NASA requested SpaceX to launch the Crew-10 mission using the Dragon C210 vehicle no earlier than March 12. If successful, the Starliner astronauts could return home on March 19 after spending 286 days in space, slightly longer than the typical six-month ISS mission duration. Despite facing challenges during their mission, the astronauts have not been abandoned and are not in need of an urgent rescue mission.
The efforts to arrange the return of the astronauts highlight the complexities of space travel and the collaboration required among various space agencies and private companies. The involvement of high-profile figures such as President Trump and Elon Musk adds a political element to the story, attracting global attention. As NASA navigates the challenges posed by the Starliner mission, the focus remains on ensuring the safe return of the astronauts and the successful continuation of space exploration efforts.