NASA stranded astronaut confirmed that President Biden rejected Elon Musk’s offer to bring them home, calling the report “absolutely factual.”
Two NASA astronauts are currently stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) after a malfunction with their capsule.
Recently, one of the astronauts, Barry “Butch” Wilmore, spoke about a proposed rescue by Elon Musk that was rejected by President Biden.
This situation has raised many questions and sparked a lot of interest.
The current situation in space of two NASA stranded astronaut
Barry Wilmore and his fellow astronaut, Sunita Williams, have been living on the ISS for several months.
Their Boeing Starliner capsule experienced a failure, which left them unable to return to Earth as planned.
The astronauts have been relying on the ISS for their daily needs while waiting for a solution to their predicament.
Elon Musk’s offer to help
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, recently claimed that he offered to send a spacecraft to bring the astronauts home sooner.
He suggested that the Biden administration turned down this offer for political reasons.
This statement caught the attention of many and led to further discussions about the rescue mission.
In a recent press conference held from the ISS, Wilmore confirmed Musk’s assertion.
He stated, “What he says is absolutely factual … I believe him.”
This comment indicates that Wilmore believes Musk’s version of events, which adds a layer of complexity to the situation.
Political implications of the rescue
Musk suggested that helping the astronauts return home would have benefitted former President Donald Trump politically.
He claimed that Biden did not want to give Trump any positive publicity close to the presidential election.
This statement has raised eyebrows and led to discussions about the intersection of space exploration and political agendas.
Wilmore, however, mentioned that he and Williams were not involved in any discussions regarding the details of the rescue.
They have no knowledge about what was offered or who was involved in the discussions.
“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 said.
Wilmore also voiced his support for both the new president and the world’s richest man.
“All of us have the utmost respect for Mr. Musk, and obviously, respect and admiration for our president of the United States, Donald Trump.
We appreciate them, appreciate all that they do for us, for human space flight, for our nation,” Williams said.
NASA stranded astronaut shows support for both leaders
Despite the political implications, Wilmore respected Musk and President Biden.
He emphasized the importance of their contributions to space exploration.
“I actually was extremely impressed coming up here and seeing how much science is going on,” Williams said.
“This place is ticking. It’s just really amazing. So I would say we’re actually in our prime right now. … I would think that right now is probably not the right time to say, quit, to call it quits.”
NASA has been closely monitoring the situation.
Although SpaceX launched a Crew Dragon capsule to help bring the astronauts back, the agency decided to delay their return.
This decision has confused many, especially considering the astronauts’ prolonged stay on the ISS.
Wilmore and Williams have continued to conduct scientific experiments during their time in space.
They expressed that the ISS is currently a hub of scientific activity, and they are focused on their work while awaiting a resolution.
Mixed Reactions from the Public
The situation has garnered significant attention on social media, with many people expressing their opinions. Some users have criticized the decision to reject Musk’s offer, while others have pointed out the complexities involved in space missions.
One user commented on the ethical implications of such political decisions affecting space exploration. Others shared their disbelief that astronauts are left in such a situation due to political maneuvering.
One user said: Trump does everything for political reasons, too. Fortunately, his “political reason” is making America great — yet again.
The second user wrote: I hope they sue Biden because he put their lives at risk. She should have been allowed to come back.
Biden will go down in history as the worst President ever. Until democrats don’t see the truth they are never going to win another election any time soon.
The third user added: Biden doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Look what he did to his son Hunter, and how he treated his granddaughter. Not to mention his daughter.
The fourth user commented: Joe Biden was dangerous… Wait until the books come out telling the facts, now that Joe has left his 4-year presidency.
Another user said: I believe Elon. Elon doesn’t lie.
Someone said: Biden left Americans stranded in Afganistatn I guess he thought what’s a few astronauts too.