Updated April 1st 2025, 02:33 IST
‘You Don’t Feel Politics in Space’: NASA Astronauts On Their Delayed Return from ISS
NASA Astronauts, who returned from their extended 9-month stay in space said Crew 9 members solely focused on mission and did not feel any 'politcs up there'.
Washington: SpaceX Crew-9 members, who recently returned to the Earth after an extended 9-month stay at the International Space Station on Monday said that astronauts ‘don’t feel politics’ in space and are solely focused on the mission.
Addressing a joint press conference alongside Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, Commander Nick Hague said, “When we are up there operating in space, you don’t feel the politics. You are strictly focused on the mission…Politics doesn’t make it up there.”
Notably, in September 2024, Hague went to space as the commander of NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission, launching aboard the Crew Dragon "Freedom" with Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. They traveled in the space capsule, which had two vacant seats reserved for Wilmore and Williams.
Stressing on the team’s preparedness for all situations, Hague further said , “We are working as a part of an international team that spans the globe and works with half a dozen mission control centres that are spread around the globe and are talking in multiple languages.”
Trump, Elon Musk Blamed Biden For Ignoring Astronauts
US President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday claimed that NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were left stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) by the previous Joe Biden administration.
President Trump asserted that SpaceX was not given a ‘go-ahead’ to bring back the astronauts due to Joe Biden’s desire of not having publicity over the matter.
“Joe Biden was going to leave stranded NASA astronauts, including Sunita Williams, in space,” President Trump told US TV network Fox News in an interview sitting alongside Elon Musk.
Elaborating over Trump’s remark, Elon Musk said, “They are left there for political reasons which is not good.”
NASA Astronauts Return To Earth After 9 Months
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams returned to Earth on March 18, taking an alternate ride home to wrap up a journey that began with a botched test flight over nine months ago.
(NASA Astronauts splashdown in 'Gulf of America'/ Image-AP)
Their SpaceX capsule splashed down in the 'Gulf Of America' just hours after leaving the International Space Station.
Wilmore and Williams spent a total of 286 days in space—278 days longer than originally planned. During that time, they orbited Earth 4,576 times and covered a distance of 121 million miles (195 million kilometers) by the time of splashdown.
NASA Astronauts On Whether Politics Played Part in Delayed Return | WATCH
Published April 1st 2025, 02:32 IST
