"Saving lives while saving America"—Netizens react as stranded ISS astronauts thank Elon Musk and Donald Trump as they prepare for return home
Netizens have reacted to footage of stranded ISS astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore thanking SpaceX boss Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump. Their return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) was preponed by a day to Tuesday (March 18) after NASA cited "favorable conditions."
Elon Musk's SpaceX sent a Crew Dragon craft to the ISS on Sunday to transport Williams and Wilmore, who have been stuck in space for over nine months. The craft was also scheduled to carry NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
"Nasa and SpaceX met on Sunday to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida's coast for the return of the agency's Crew-9 mission from the International Space Station. Mission managers are targeting an earlier Crew-9 return opportunity based on favorable conditions forecasted for the evening of Tuesday, March 18," said the space agency in an official statement.
On March 17, Elon Musk shared a clip of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore expressing their gratitude to himself and Donald Trump from the ISS. The 25-second video is currently pinned to Musk's X profile.
"All of us have the utmost respect for Mr. Musk, and obviously respect and admiration for our President of the United States, Donald Trump. We appreciate them. We appreciate them. We appreciate all that they do for us or human spaceflight for our nation. And we are thankful that they are in positions they are in," said Wilmore in the 25-second clip.
Netizens on X have reacted to the footage shared by the SpaceX boss.
"Elon Musk and President Trump, saving lives while saving America and the world," X user @SpartaJustice wrote.
"On behalf of all sane people worldwide we thank you Mr. Musk," another claimed.
"They're thankful because the government is still paying for space exploration which is their passion. The reality of why they were up there so long, was scheduling, not desperation. But of course, you love drama and dragging people out of office buildings with armed guards," another user argued.
A user referred to Musk as an "American hero," writing:
"Thank you, Elon! You're officially an American Hero. I hope @realDonaldTrump bestows on you the highest honor."
"Congratulations!!! You deserve a Medal for this! You are a true American hero for bring them home!! Bravo!" another raved.
"Awesome job Boss!! Saving Astronauts since the creation of SpaceX!! Boss are we ready to send that antique Space Station back down to the Earth!!? Time to replace it with a Lunar Base," a netizen commented.
There are many other varied reactions on X.
"Amazing how ‘zero gravity’ always looks exactly like a bad wires-and-hairspray job. Billions of dollars, decades of ‘innovation,’ and this is the best they can do? Keep believing, folks," a user quipped.
"Amazing rescue by SpaceX & NASA! 🚀 But why did the previous administration let Boeing’s Starliner fail our astronauts for so long?" another asked.
"Evidence. America and the world needs you. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🚀🚀 they would have still been out there orbiting with no hope. Time was running out," a user on X inferred.
Butch Wilmore believes Joe Biden stopped Elon Musk's SpaceX from bringing himself and Sunita Williams back on Earth
On Thursday, March 6, Elon Musk shared an update on the mission to bring back astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to Earth. The multi-billionaire business mogul explained that they were doing everything possible to make the mission successful.
In the same post, he claimed that SpaceX could've brought back the two stranded astronauts six months ago. However, the "Biden White House" refused to let that happen.
Shortly after, Butch Wilmore agreed to Musk's claims in an in-orbit press conference. Although the astronauts had previously denied any political involvement in their delayed return to Earth, Wilmore said he believes Musk.
"I can only say that Mr. Musk, what he says, is absolutely factual … I believe him," he said.
In the same press conference, Sunita Williams was asked whether she agreed with Musk's claims that the ISS should be decommissioned and taken out of orbit. She said:
"I actually was extremely impressed coming up here and seeing how much science is going on. This place is ticking. It’s just really amazing. So I would say we’re actually in our prime right now... I would think that right now is probably not the right time to say, quit, to call it quits."
As per the latest reports, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have splashed down off the coast of Florida after spending 286 days on the International Space Station. They were welcomed by a pod of dolphins as they inspected the capsule, waiting to be picked up by a recovery ship.
The crew is scheduled to undergo NASA's 45-day post-mission rehabilitation program designed to help astronauts cope with the physical effects of spaceflight.