Returning to Earth Increasing attention has been paid to Wilmore and Williams’ current venture in space, which began in June when the astronauts launched to the space station aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft during its first crewed journey. The duo was initially expected to return to Earth about eight days later. But problems with Starliner, including helium leaks and propulsion issues, led NASA to decide it was too risky for the astronauts to use on their return flight, and the capsule was sent back to Earth empty. NASA has opted to return Wilmore and Williams to Earth no earlier than late March aboard the SpaceX Crew-9 capsule, which is currently docked outside the space station. The duo will not return home before the next flight, Crew-10, arrives at the space station. When Williams and Wilmore do return home, they will have been in space for nearly 10 months. In a previous interview with CNN last week, former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who led the agency under the Biden administration and stepped down from the post when President Donald Trump took office on January 20, spoke in-depth about the agency’s decision to extend the astronauts’ stay in space, emphasizing the determination was made with astronaut safety top of mind — and despite Boeing’s objections. Among NASA leadership, the decision announced in August to fly Williams and Wilmore home on a SpaceX Crew Dragon rather than Starship was unanimous. However, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted on his social media platform X Tuesday claiming the astronauts were “stranded” in space. “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long,” Musk asserted in a post. Trump shared similar sentiments on his social media platform Truth Social, posting, “I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to ‘go get’ the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration. They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!” When CNN reached out for comment from NASA, the agency shared that “NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore as soon as practical, while also preparing for the launch of Crew-10 to complete a handover between expeditions.” Debris from a SpaceX Starship vehicle that exploded midflight on January 16 is shown in piles after it was gathered by Turks and Caicos resident Lori Kane. Lori Kaine