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Updated 14:40 IST, January 29th 2025

Donald Trump Urges Elon Musk to Help Bring 'Stranded' Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Home

Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 61, have been stuck on the International Space Station since their spacecraft developed mechanical issues.

Reported by: Digital Desk
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Donald Trump Urges Elon Musk to Help Bring 'Stranded' Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Home
Donald Trump Urges Elon Musk to Help Bring 'Stranded' Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Home | Image: AP

Washington: US President Donald Trump has asked Elon Musk for help in bringing back astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in space for over eight months.  

Musk confirmed the request in a post on X, saying, "The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so."  

He also criticized the Biden administration, adding, "Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long."  

In response to this post, President Trump expressed frustration with the Biden administration's handling of the situation involving two astronauts, Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 5, 2024.

The astronauts were left on the ISS after an issue with their Boeing Starliner capsule delayed their return to Earth, CBS News reported.

Trump blamed the Biden administration for what he described as "abandoning" the astronauts, and he called on SpaceX founder Elon Musk to bring them home.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, "I have asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to go get the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden administration. They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!"

Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 61, have been stuck on the International Space Station since their spacecraft developed mechanical issues and had to be sent back to Earth without them.

Last week, Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams had stepped out for her first spacewalk since arriving at the International Space Station (ISS) more than seven months ago.  

Williams, who had been the station’s commander, had worked on some overdue outdoor repairs alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague. They had come outside from the ISS as it had orbited 260 miles (420 kilometers) above Turkmenistan.  

During the spacewalk, Williams had come close to the SpaceX capsule that would bring her home this spring. Floating just a few feet away from the parked vessel, she had struggled with a chore but had eventually completed it without damaging the spacecraft.  

NASA had planned for Williams to go on another spacewalk next week with astronaut Butch Wilmore. The duo had launched aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule last June on what had initially been planned as a weeklong test flight.  

However, technical issues with Starliner had delayed their return, forcing NASA to send the capsule back to Earth without them. Further delays in SpaceX’s astronaut launch had meant that Williams and Wilmore would now remain at the ISS until late March or early April—nearly ten months after their launch.  

This had been the first spacewalk by NASA astronauts since an aborted attempt last summer. US spacewalks had been halted due to water leakage into the airlock from an astronaut suit’s cooling loop. NASA had later confirmed that the issue had been resolved.

Published 09:06 IST, January 29th 2025