SpaceX mission to return US astronauts to happen ‘soon’: Trump

US President Donald Trump said Elon Musk’s company will ‘soon’ begin a mission to repatriate the two astronauts who have been stranded for months on the International Space Station.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, Don Pettit and Suni Williams aboard the International Space Station on January 8. Picture: AFP Photo/NASA

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) that Elon Musk’s company SpaceX will “soon” begin a mission to repatriate two American astronauts who have been stranded for months on the International Space Station.

Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the ISS in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner, and were due to spend only eight days on the orbiting laboratory, but technical problems on the spacecraft prompted NASA to change plans.

The US space agency announced in August that Boeing rival SpaceX would bring the crew home in February, before their return was further postponed to late March due to SpaceX preparing a new spacecraft.

“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,” Mr Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“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!!!” Mr Trump wrote, without specifying when the mission would take place.

Mr Musk, who heavily funded Mr Trump’s election campaign, wrote earlier on X that the president had asked SpaceX to bring home the two astronauts “as soon as possible”. SpaceX, the private company founded by billionaire Mr Musk, has been flying regular missions every six months to allow the rotation of ISS crews.

🫡 pic.twitter.com/CsZJDUFeAj

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2025

In January, Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams said their spirits were still high despite being stranded above Earth, adding that they had plenty of food and were enjoying their time on the space station.

While their protracted stay is notable, it has not yet surpassed Frank Rubio’s record-breaking 371 days aboard the ISS, which he completed in 2023 after the Russian spacecraft designated for his return developed a coolant leak.