Musk Urges ISS Shutdown After Clash With Former Commander

Elon Musk called for decommissioning the International Space Station on Thursday after a social media clash over two NASA astronauts who have remained aboard the station since June.

The dispute erupted after Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen, a former ISS commander, challenged Musk’s claims during a Sean Hannity interview that SpaceX had offered to accelerate the return of astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.

Mogensen accused Musk of lying about claims the astronauts were being kept on the station for “political reasons.” Musk responded by calling Mogensen an “idiot” and using a slur about intellectual disability, and claimed that SpaceX had offered rescue attempts that were rejected.

Williams and Wilmore have rejected claims that they’ve been abandoned, telling CNN’s Anderson Cooper that they “don’t feel stuck.” The two are to return in March — as arranged by the Biden administration — on a SpaceX vehicle.

President Donald Trump previously accused the Biden administration of having “virtually abandoned” the astronauts. “They got left in space,” Trump said on Hannity.

Mogensen, while acknowledging his admiration for Musk’s work with SpaceX and Tesla, pointed out that the March return plan has been in place since September. “Even now, you are not sending up a rescue ship to bring them home,” he wrote.

The ISS, which has orbited Earth for over two decades, is scheduled for deorbiting in 2030. As of this writing, it’s still unclear whether Musk’s tantrum will really speed up the process.


Information for this story was found via the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

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