Written by Nathaniel Harper.
Elon Musk kicked up a storm this week, claiming the Biden administration waved off his offer to bring two NASA astronauts back from the International Space Station—an accusation that’s sparked a sharp back-and-forth with a Danish space veteran. The SpaceX titan dropped this bombshell during a Tuesday Fox News sit-down with Donald Trump, aired March 4, 2025, pointing fingers at politics for keeping Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore stuck in orbit eight months and counting. It’s a heady charge, and one that’s got astronauts and experts pushing back hard.
How a Quick Trip Turned Into an Eight-Month Ordeal
It all started June 5, 2024—Williams and Wilmore blasted off on Boeing’s Starliner, a shiny new capsule meant to prove itself with a week-long ISS jaunt. Things went south fast. Helium leaks sprang up during launch, and by the time it docked on June 6, five of its 28 thrusters were on the fritz. NASA and Boeing scrambled to test it, but after weeks of head-scratching, they threw in the towel—Starliner wasn’t safe for humans. So, in September, it came home empty, leaving the duo behind.
They’re not twiddling their thumbs up there. Williams, now running the ISS as commander, and Wilmore, a steady hand from past missions, have been busy—spacewalks, experiments, the works. NASA’s got a plan to fetch them with the Crew-9 team next month on SpaceX’s Dragon, which has been parked at the station since last fall. But eight months is a far cry from eight days, and late February chatter from the astronauts hinted they’re ready to see Earth again—hardly a shock for anyone who’s been cooped up that long.
For context, this isn’t unheard of—astronauts like Scott Kelly have logged nearly a year in space. Still, Kelly signed up for it; Williams and Wilmore didn’t. NASA swears it’s all under control, focused on “crew rotation” and “future missions to the Moon and Mars.” But Musk’s jab suggests there’s more to it—something deliberate, not just logistical.
Musk Throws a Punch, Astronauts Swing Back
In that Fox interview, Musk didn’t hold back. “They were left up there for political reasons,” he said, cool as you please, suggesting Biden’s crew dragged their feet on purpose. He doubled down on X: “SpaceX could have brought them back several months ago. I OFFERED THIS DIRECTLY to the Biden administration and they refused.” Political games, he insists—then caps it with a blunt “Idiot” for anyone who disagrees. It’s Musk being Musk: brash, provocative, and light on specifics.
Enter Andreas Mogensen, Denmark’s first astronaut and no stranger to SpaceX—he rode their gear to the ISS in 2015. He wasn’t having it. “What a lie,” he fired off on X. “And from someone who complains about lack of honesty from the mainstream media.” Mogensen, who’s logged his own time in orbit, laid out the facts: “Butch and Suni are returning with Crew-9, as has been the plan since last September.” No rescue needed—the Dragon’s already there, he says, calling Musk out for spinning a yarn.
Chris Hadfield, a retired Canadian astronaut who ran the ISS back in 2013, piled on. “Suni and Butch have never been ‘stranded’ in space,” he wrote. “They’re prepared and committed”—not desperate castaways, but pros doing their jobs. He’s got a point: Williams is leading the station, not begging for a ride. But Musk’s claim hangs in the air—could they have come home sooner? And if so, why didn’t they?
Sorting Fact from Musk’s Fire
Let’s break this down. SpaceX has the chops—Musk’s Dragon has been NASA’s go-to since 2020, ferrying crews when Boeing couldn’t. A bespoke mission to grab Williams and Wilmore in, say, November 2024? Not impossible. The company’s launched on tight timelines before—Crew-1 went up in four months flat. Musk says he pitched it straight to Biden’s people and got a flat no. If true, that’s a story. If not, it’s hot air.
Why the rejection? Politics could explain it—2024 was an election year, and leaning on Musk, a Trump buddy, might’ve rubbed Biden’s team raw. Imagine the headlines: “White House Hands Space Win to Billionaire Pal of Rival.” Or maybe it’s simpler—NASA didn’t want the hassle. A new mission means cash, coordination, and a rocket, all while Crew-9 was already set to handle it. Mogensen and Hadfield back this up: the plan’s been locked since September, no drama required.
But here’s where it gets sticky. Starliner was a mess—leaks, thruster failures, a docking that barely stuck. NASA knew by July it was dicey; by August, they were plotting the empty return. If Musk’s offer came then—say, mid-summer—why not jump? Even regular folks, maybe a dad who watched Apollo 13 with his kids, can see the gap: a fix was out there, and they didn’t take it. Reports from February had the astronauts sounding antsy—DailyMail.com called it a “desperate plea.” That doesn’t square with NASA’s everything’s-fine line.
Think back to 1986—Challenger blew up, and the fallout showed NASA can bungle things under pressure. No one’s dying here, but the vibe’s similar: a problem festers, solutions stall. Musk’s political spin might be overreach, but he’s poking a real sore spot—why the wait? For taxpayers who fund this stuff, or retirees who remember moon landings, it’s a fair question.
Our Take
Musk’s tussle with NASA and the astronaut crowd is a messy mix of ego and elbow grease. He’s right that SpaceX could’ve stepped in—his outfit’s got the hardware and the hustle. But this “Biden blocked me” bit? It’s thin without proof—show us the email, Elon, or it’s just noise. NASA’s sticking to its guns, and Mogensen and Hadfield make a solid case: this was planned, not panicked. As a journalist who’s tracked space since shuttle days, I’ll say this—delays breed suspicion, and Musk’s got a nose for that. Still, the facts lean toward logistics over conspiracy. Williams and Wilmore are fine, but the saga’s a reminder: even in orbit, earthly squabbles cast long shadows.
