As tensions between Elon Musk and the Biden administration surface, astronauts find themselves inadvertently caught in a political controversy.
Elon Musk's allegation of political play in the extended stay of astronauts aboard the International Space Station has stirred major debate.
The Daily Mail reported that the incident that catapulted this story into the public eye began with a technical problem on the Starliner spacecraft.
Launched on June 6, this vehicle was meant to transport astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore back to Earth after an eight-day mission. However, unforeseen issues prevented their timely return.
As the situation developed, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, proposed an early extraction plan for the stranded astronauts. His suggestion was, however, purportedly turned down by the Biden administration due to reasons Musk claims were politically motivated, aimed at not giving a perceivable advantage to former President Donald Trump.
NASA responded to the technical failures by dispatching an uncrewed Starliner spacecraft to bring the astronauts back, albeit not until September.
By then, Williams and Wilmore had extended their mission duration exponentially from the planned eight days to nine months.
During a press briefing, Barry Wilmore, one of the stranded astronauts, confirmed Musk's assertion of political influences affecting decision-making. "I can only say that Mr Musk, what he says, is factual," stated Wilmore, though he noted his lack of visibility into the administrative dealings.
Their prolonged stay in space became a focal point of discussion about the intersection of politics and astronautical science. Along with fellow astronaut Nick Hague, Wilmore and Williams detailed in a press conference how politics had unexpectedly seeped into their professional lives.
"The words they've said — politics — I mean, that's part of life. We understand that, and there's an important reason why we have a political system, and the political system that we do have. And we're behind it 100 percent," Wilmore explained, indicating a neutral stance on the political dynamics at play.
Despite the unusual extension of their stay, Wilmore emphasized that neither he nor his colleagues felt 'stranded' or 'abandoned.' This sentiment was critical in maintaining morale and focus on their ongoing tasks aboard the ISS.
NASA's then-administrator Bill Nelson countered Musk's claims by stating that the decision to extend the astronauts' mission bore no political motivations. "I can tell you unequivocally, from a personal standpoint, that politics has not played any part in this decision," Nelson commented.
Musk's frustrations did not end with the astronauts. He also highlighted ongoing legal battles involving SpaceX and the Department of Justice, which he viewed as part of a larger political bias against his company. This was despite significant contributions he made to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
"So people say, like, 'Oh, Elon's making it up. The Biden administration wasn't against SpaceX,' I'm like, bro, the Department of Justice had a massive lawsuit against SpaceX for not hiring asylum seekers, even though it is illegal for us to hire anyone who is not a permanent resident," Musk conveyed his exasperation.
With various statements and claims floating in the public sphere, the real reasons behind the decisions remain enveloped in mystery. The astronauts are due to return on March 19, aboard SpaceX's Crew-9, marking an end to their unexpected extended journey in space.
The upcoming return voyage, set after multiple delays, is eagerly awaited by both the astronauts and those following the story. Their unusual and prolonged stay in space will likely be studied to prevent similar occurrences in future missions.