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Political controversy over delay/ Elon Musk is returning astronauts stranded in space for almost a year

2025-03-16 18:50:53Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Political controversy over delay/ Elon Musk is returning astronauts stranded in
The astronauts' embrace

After more than nine months on the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are preparing to return to Earth.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS, bringing in new crews and paving the way for the return of two astronauts who had stayed at the station much longer than their originally planned eight-day trip due to technical problems with the spacecraft that carried them into space.

Wilmore and Williams' return is expected within the week, although the schedule depends on weather conditions on Earth, as Dana Weigel, ISS program manager, said: "Weather always has to be an ally, so if conditions are not favorable, we will wait," she noted.

Preparations for the crew change have already begun, with a two-day transition period during which the departing astronauts will brief their replacements, four new astronauts from the US, Russia and Japan.

Political controversy over delay/ Elon Musk is returning astronauts stranded in

A sudden prolonged lockdown in space

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the ISS in June 2024 to test Boeing's new Starliner spacecraft, which was intended to compete with SpaceX's Crew Dragon. However, a series of technical problems — such as thruster malfunctions and helium leaks — raised serious concerns about the safety of their return.

NASA, deciding there was no reason to risk a return flight with Starliner, decided to repatriate them with the SpaceX spacecraft, aligning their return with the planned crew rotation cycle.

Dr. Simeon Barber, a university expert, highlighted the personal cost of this delay: "When you go on a week-long business trip, you don't expect it to last nearly a year. Their absence has certainly had an impact on their personal lives."

Political controversy over the delay

The extended presence of the two astronauts on the ISS also caused political controversy in the US.

In a joint interview with Fox News, President Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed that the astronauts were "abandoned in space" for political reasons.

Elon Musk also claimed that NASA's delay was politically motivated, something the US space agency categorically denied.

Steve Stich, director of NASA's commercial space program, dismissed the allegations, stressing that all decisions were made with the safety of the astronauts in mind. "We studied many alternatives, and the option of returning with SpaceX's Crew Dragon was the safest," he said.

A blow to Boeing

NASA's decision not to use Starliner to return astronauts is a serious blow to Boeing, which had invested significant resources in developing the spacecraft.

"It doesn't look good for Boeing that the astronauts it transported into space are returning on a SpaceX ship," commented Dr. Barber, emphasizing that this case will negatively affect the company's reputation in the space sector.

Countdown to the return

With procedures in the final stages, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams' return to Earth is expected to be completed within the next few days, weather conditions permitting.

NASA, despite delays and setbacks in the mission, maintains that the safety of the astronauts was and remains its absolute priority.

“We can't wait to see them return to Earth, safe and sound,” said Dr. Libby Jackson, head of space missions at the Science Museum in London.


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