"Commander Elon to the rescue" — Internet reacts to Trump asking Musk's SpaceX to bring back astronauts "abandoned" in International Space Station

President Donald Trump recently asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to help bring back the two astronauts "abandoned" on the International Space Station (ISS), presumably referring to Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. For context, the two NASA astronauts embarked on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station on Boeing's Starliner Spacecraft in June 2024.

However, they have been at the International Space Station for over seven months after their spacecraft's propulsion system encountered a problem, hindering their safe return. They are expected to return in late March or April.

On January 28, 2025, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to inform his followers that he had asked Elon Musk to "go get" the two astronauts, writing:

"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. Good luck Elon!!!"

Musk also confirmed the same in a post on X, criticizing Biden's administration for allegedly leaving them at the International Space Station for months.

Trump's request and Musk's response were met with mixed reviews on social media. Some lauded the X owner for his commitment to bringing the astronauts back, writing:

"Commander Elon to the rescue."

Trump's supporters praised the president for thinking about how to help the astronauts.

"TRUMP cares about every Americans! Even those who are not on Earth," one person tweeted.

"Amazing what you can do with the right people calling the shots," another person added.

"America is so back," someone else commented.

"Great news! Bring them home!" another user exclaimed.

Others questioned how Musk would go about the request, referencing the existing mission to bring the astronauts home.

"What has changed? Does this accelerate crew-10 or will it involve a new mission?" one person asked.

"How long will this take?" another person questioned.

"So Crew 10 earlier than March? How would that even work... Or is SpaceX sending a different vehicle?" someone else commented.

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The two astronauts are waiting on the International Space Station for the arrival of their replacement crew

According to NPR, SpaceX is already working with NASA to bring home Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore (dubbed Crew-9). SpaceX's Crew-9 capsule, scheduled to bring back the astronauts, is already docked on the ISS at the time of this article.

However, they are waiting aboard the International Space Station for the arrival of Crew-10, their replacement team. The wait is done to ensure a seamless transition of duties between the two crews to avoid understaffing aboard the space station.

NASA recently announced a delay in the Crew-10's departure, further extending Crew-9's stay at the ISS to late March or April. NASA frequently sends supplies to the two astronauts on the International Space Station, including special meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

However, the extended stay at zero gravity has seemingly posed some issues for the two astronauts. According to People Magazine, Sunita Williams recently revealed that she was trying to remember how to walk after her seven-month stay at zero gravity.

She recently revealed this information while in conversation with Needham High School students, adding the extended stay was a "little bit different."

“I’ve been up here long enough right now I’ve been trying to remember what it’s like to walk. I haven’t walked. I haven’t sat down. I haven’t laid down. You don’t have to. You can just close your eyes and float where you are right here," Williams said.

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In other news, Sunita Williams and Nick Hague, a fellow astronaut aboard the International Space Station, embarked on a spacewalk for maintenance work on January 16, 2025. The six-hour-long walk marked 59-year-old Williams's eighth spacewalk in her long-spanning career.