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Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Stayed at the International Space Station for Almost a Year While NASA Spent Billions on Other Projects.
Two NASA astronauts were stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months. The reason? According to the agency itself, bringing the duo back earlier would be very costly.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore arrived at the ISS on June 6, 2023, for a mission that was supposed to last only eight days. However, technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule prevented their safe return. NASA could have used a SpaceX capsule to bring them back sooner but ruled out that option to save money.
NASA Chose to Cut Costs Instead of Rescuing Astronauts
Ken Bowersox, NASA administrator, revealed that SpaceX offered several solutions to bring the astronauts back earlier. However, the agency decided not to spend more resources.
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“We evaluated the possibility of an extra mission or to expedite the return of the capsule, but we quickly ruled out those options based on the available budget”, said Bowersox.
This statement has drawn criticism, as NASA’s budget for 2024 was about US$ 30 billion. Now, a report revealed that the agency spent millions of dollars on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) grants and contracts while the astronauts were stranded in space.
Elon Musk Claims Biden Prevented Rescue
Billionaire Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX, claimed he offered help to bring the astronauts back. According to him, the Biden administration declined the proposal because a successful rescue could “make Donald Trump look good” in the elections against Kamala Harris.
In August 2023, NASA officially announced its decision to keep the astronauts at the ISS. At the time, Bill Nelson, the agency’s administrator, assured that “politics played no role in this decision”.
The Return Home Is Scheduled
Now, after nine months of waiting, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally scheduled to return to Earth on March 16, 2024. They will travel aboard a SpaceX capsule, which has been docked at the ISS since September.
Before departure, the astronauts will spend two days training the new crew that arrived at the station. If everything goes as planned, they will land on Earth on Sunday.
