Tech billionaire Elon Musk has pledged to bring two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) back to Earth after President Donald Trump’s request.
Musk confirmed SpaceX will handle the mission following delays and technical issues with their spacecraft.
“President Trump has asked us to bring them home, and we will do so,” Musk said.
Trump criticized Joe Biden’s administration for allegedly leaving the astronauts stranded, calling them “virtually abandoned in space” and wished Musk good luck.
Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were on an eight-day mission launched on June 5, 2024, but their Boeing Starliner spacecraft faced problems like helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters.
After months of troubleshooting, Boeing and NASA could not fix the issues.
The astronauts’ return, originally planned for February 2025, has been delayed to March or April.
SpaceX will now use a Dragon spacecraft to retrieve them.
NASA assured there is no risk to the astronauts, as the ISS is well-stocked with supplies.
SpaceX and Boeing both received billion-dollar contracts from NASA for commercial flights. SpaceX has completed nine crewed flights, while Boeing’s Starliner mission was their first.
