NASA’s Pre-Planned Mission
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were originally scheduled for a short mission. However, technical issues with the Boeing Starliner extended their stay to nine months. NASA decided in August that the astronauts would return on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in September with two astronauts, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, leaving two seats available for Wilmore and Williams.
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Trump’s Claims and White House Statements
Despite the pre-planned mission, Trump repeatedly claimed responsibility for the astronauts’ return. The White House posted on social media that Trump had fulfilled a promise to bring them home. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also credited Trump for prioritizing the mission.
NASA’s Official Timeline
NASA determined in August that the Boeing Starliner was unsafe for Wilmore and Williams’ return due to helium leaks and propulsion problems. The decision to use the SpaceX Crew-9 mission was made before Trump took office. The mission was delayed because the Crew-10 mission needed to arrive first.
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Trump’s Influence on Mission Timeline
NASA initially planned to launch the Crew-10 mission in late March. However, the launch was moved up to mid-March, possibly due to Trump’s pressure. NASA used a previously flown Dragon capsule instead of a new one. Musk stated in an interview that Trump helped expedite the mission.
NASA’s Official Acknowledgment
NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro confirmed Trump’s influence in accelerating the Crew-10 launch. She stated that NASA and SpaceX worked to adjust the timeline following Trump’s direction.
FAQs
Why did the astronauts stay in space for nine months?
Technical issues with the Boeing Starliner made it unsafe for their return. NASA decided in August to bring them back using the SpaceX Crew-9 mission.
Did Trump directly authorize the astronauts’ return?
No. NASA planned the return months before Trump took office. However, he influenced the timeline by pushing for an earlier Crew-10 mission launch.
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