WASHINGTON, Jan 29, (V7N) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that SpaceX will "soon" launch a mission to bring home two American astronauts who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for months.

Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission. However, technical issues with the vehicle forced NASA to extend their stay indefinitely.

"Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, though he did not provide a specific timeline for the mission.

SpaceX Steps In

NASA had initially planned for SpaceX to bring Wilmore and Williams home in February, but the return mission was pushed to late March as the company prepared a new spacecraft.

Musk, a strong Trump supporter who contributed heavily to his re-election campaign, confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the president had personally requested SpaceX to accelerate the rescue mission.

SpaceX has been conducting regular missions to and from the ISS, rotating crews every six months, making it a reliable alternative to Boeing's troubled Starliner program.

Despite their prolonged stay, Wilmore and Williams remain in good spirits. They assured NASA in January that they had sufficient food supplies and were making the most of their extended mission.

While their extended stay is significant, it has not yet surpassed astronaut Frank Rubio's 2023 record of 371 consecutive days aboard the ISS. Rubio was forced to remain in orbit after a coolant leak disabled the Russian spacecraft meant to return him to Earth.

As SpaceX finalizes preparations for the mission, NASA and space enthusiasts worldwide await the long-overdue return of Wilmore and Williams.

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