Trump’s False Claims Surrounding Starliner Astronauts’ Return
The saga surrounding Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, marked by delays and technical challenges, has reached its conclusion with the return of NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. Their prolonged stay on the International Space Station (ISS), initially intended to be a brief eight-day mission, stretched into nine months due to concerns about the spacecraft’s safety. While the immediate crisis has subsided, the event has become entangled in political rhetoric, with former President Donald Trump seizing the opportunity to criticize his predecessor’s administration.
Trump, known for his penchant for self-aggrandizement, has taken to his social media platform, Truth Social, to falsely claim credit for orchestrating a "rescue mission" to bring the astronauts home. His claims are riddled with disinformation, exaggerations, and outright falsehoods, painting a distorted picture of the events that transpired.
According to Trump, the Biden administration had "abandoned" the astronauts, necessitating his intervention to ensure their safe return. However, the reality is far more nuanced. The mission, dubbed Crew-9, was launched on September 28, 2024, with two astronauts, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The two empty seats were specifically reserved for Williams and Wilmore, who integrated into the Crew-9 mission and participated in spacewalks, with Williams even setting a new record.
Trump’s portrayal of himself as a savior rescuing stranded astronauts is a disingenuous narrative. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, launched in September, has been stationed at the ISS throughout the entire period, providing a means for the astronauts to return at any time. However, such a hasty departure would have been impractical and wasteful, as it would have required the other Crew-9 astronauts to accompany them.
The standard duration of stints aboard the ISS is six months, and Williams and Wilmore, as experienced and highly trained NASA astronauts, were fully capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of the two astronauts who were unable to join the mission. This decision was also economically sound, considering the substantial costs associated with launching astronauts into space.
Trump also claimed that he personally intervened by contacting Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, to facilitate the astronauts’ return. However, Musk’s claim of offering the Biden administration an earlier rescue plan lacks supporting evidence.
The Starliner mission, a private test flight funded by NASA, was intended to establish a commercial partnership for spaceflight endeavors. Ironically, Trump’s criticism has been directed towards the former administration rather than Boeing, the company responsible for the troubled Starliner program.
Trump’s assertions that he expedited the astronauts’ return by approximately two weeks are also misleading. While technical issues with the SpaceX Crew Dragon did cause a delay in the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission, ultimately requiring a change of Dragon vehicle, the astronauts’ prolonged stay was primarily due to the Starliner’s initial malfunction.
Trump’s efforts to inject a sense of urgency and danger into the mission are unwarranted. While spaceflight always carries inherent risks, missions to the ISS have become increasingly routine.
Despite Trump’s attempts to politicize the mission, the astronauts themselves have remained above the fray. Astronaut Wilmore, during a live webcast from the ISS, acknowledged the existence of politics but emphasized that it played no role in their mission.
In conclusion, Trump’s claims surrounding the Starliner astronauts’ return are a distortion of reality, driven by political motivations. His narrative of a heroic rescue mission orchestrated by himself is unsupported by facts. The astronauts’ extended stay was primarily due to technical challenges with the Starliner spacecraft, and their return was part of a planned and collaborative effort involving NASA, SpaceX, and the astronauts themselves. While Trump may continue to exploit the situation for political gain, the astronauts have maintained their professionalism and refused to be drawn into the political theater.
