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Musk accuses Biden of blocking NASA astronauts' rescue
Musk said his offer to bring back the stranded astronauts on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft was blocked by the White House.
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Elon Musk/ Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore / Wikipedia/NASA
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk alleged that the Biden administration blocked an earlier rescue mission for NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were left stranded after their initial eight-day mission in space was extended into an eight-month long ordeal due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Musk claimed that SpaceX could have sent a Crew Dragon spacecraft to retrieve the astronauts six months earlier but was blocked by the White House. "The White House refused to allow it, not NASA," Musk posted on X. He further stated that U.S. President Donald Trump supported an immediate retrieval of the astronauts.
Also Read: NASA-SpaceX capsule switch poised to bring Starliner astronauts home days sooner
The astronauts were only supposed to be up there for 8 days and now have been there for 8 months.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2025
SpaceX could have sent up another Dragon and brought them home 6 months ago, but the Biden White House (not NASA) refused to allow it.
President Trump asked to bring them back as… https://t.co/BVsHRn2Ocf
Williams and Wilmore originally launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June. 6, 2024. However, technical problems with the spacecraft made it unsafe for reentry, forcing an extended stay on the International Space Station (ISS). With the Starliner grounded, NASA arranged for their return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon once the Crew-10 mission arrived.
Wilmore downplays Musk’s claim
In response to Musk’s claims, Wilmore downplayed the suggestion of political interference. Speaking from the ISS during a press conference, he stated, "Politics is not a factor in this at all." He explained that extended space missions are not unusual and often require contingency plans.
When asked about Musk’s assertion that SpaceX could have executed an earlier rescue, Wilmore clarified that the astronauts were unaware of any direct offers. "We have no information on that, though, whatsoever. What was offered, what was not offered, who it was offered to, how that process went—that’s information that we simply don’t have," he added.
Williams disagrees with Musk’s call to decommission ISS early
During the orbital press conference, Williams responded to Musk’s assertion that the ISS is no longer essential and should be decommissioned ahead of schedule. She firmly rejected the idea, stressing that the space station remains a vital research hub.
"This place is ticking. It’s just really amazing, so I would say we're actually in our prime right now," Williams stated. "I would think that right now is probably not the right time to say, ‘Quit, call it quits.’"
She emphasized the importance of maximizing the ISS’s benefits, citing ongoing scientific studies and international collaborations. "We should maximize its benefits for taxpayers and our global partners," she added.
Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft following the Crew-10 launch on March. 12. They will take the seats vacated by departing Crew-9 astronauts.
Reflecting on the prolonged mission, Wilmore described it as "amazing" and an opportunity to gain experience with different spacecraft. Williams expressed her anticipation for returning home, stating, "Coming home in the spacecraft will be a new chapter."
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