Boeing Starliner commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore has clarified that politics had no role in the crew’s extended stay in space. The comments come after President Trump and Elon Musk made statements suggesting that the Biden administration abandoned the astronauts.
Wilmore stated that he and his pilot, Sunita Williams, were prepared to extend their mission due to unforeseen problems with the ship’s propulsion system. “We understand that politics is part of life,” Wilmore said, but added that their primary focus was on safely returning to Earth.
The crew was initially expected to return in late September, but issues with preparing a new Crew Dragon for launch delayed the mission. NASA later decided to use a different spacecraft, clearing the way for an extension to early March.
In a recent social media post, Musk suggested that he had offered to bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth earlier, but their offer was declined due to concerns about Trump’s support. However, Wilmore stated that they were unaware of any such offer.
NASA plans to continue operating the International Space Station through 2030. The ISS crew is expected to arrive on March 12, with Wilmore and Williams returning to Earth around March 19.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/starliner-iss-butch-wilmore-politics-update