Two astronauts, Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, are set to return to Earth next month after a damaged Boeing spacecraft left them stranded in space for nine months. The astronauts were originally scheduled to stay on the International Space Station (ISS) for eight days but suffered multiple technical issues during their journey.
Despite Elon Musk’s claims that he could have rescued the astronauts sooner, NASA has denied any involvement of politics in the decision-making process. However, Musk believes that the Biden administration intentionally delayed the return date to downplay President Donald Trump’s successes.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson previously stated that politics had no role in the decision. The two astronauts will now make their return to Earth with SpaceX’s Crew-9 return flight, marking a significant change from their initial plan.
Astronauts Wilmore and Williams expressed respect for Musk but also acknowledged that they were left in the dark about what really happened behind closed doors. Despite this, they have confidence in Musk’s statement.
Their extended stay in space has taken a toll on morale, with the astronauts stating that they are doing “pretty darn good” despite the challenges. The ISS has internet access, which raises questions about whether NASA shared any information about Musk’s intentions to help bring the astronauts home.
The return of Wilmore and Williams marks an end to their nine-month stay in space, and it will be a significant milestone for SpaceX as it takes on the responsibility of returning the astronauts safely to Earth.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-offer-bring-home-113700682.html