Elon Musk achieved a significant victory this year as SpaceX successfully brought back two astronauts from the International Space Station after months of being stranded. The return mission, which marked a routine spaceflight for SpaceX, was a much-needed win for Musk following a series of setbacks in his other ventures.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, concluding their nine-month stay aboard the ISS. The astronauts had faced a challenging situation when their Boeing spacecraft encountered a glitch during a June mission, leading NASA to arrange for their return trip with SpaceX.
Following various difficulties in recent months, including exploding Starship rockets and a decline in Tesla stock, Musk and his companies were in need of positive news. Despite facing challenges with Tesla and SpaceX, Musk expressed struggles in managing his businesses amid other responsibilities, such as his involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency.
While Tesla experienced a drop in stock value and sales, SpaceX encountered setbacks with its Starship rocket testing and Falcon 9 launch issues. Musk also faced criticism and legal challenges related to his involvement with DOGE cryptocurrency.
Overall, the successful return of Williams and Wilmore served as a notable achievement for SpaceX and Musk amidst a period of challenges and scrutiny.
“Turning point for SpaceX: Musk declares victory
SpaceX was entrusted with the task of safely bringing back two astronauts in August, following NASA’s reservations about Boeing’s spacecraft. Musk portrayed their return as a triumph in January, mentioning that President Trump had urged SpaceX to expedite the process. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying four astronauts, including Williams and Wilmore, left the International Space Station shortly after undocking.
In a recent interview on Fox News, Musk implied that political motives prolonged their stay, a claim disputed by other astronauts. Prior to their return, Wilmore expressed gratitude towards Musk and Trump in a video shared by Musk.
Despite the controversy, this mission was routine for SpaceX, marking the 10th successful Crew Dragon return mission for NASA in the past five years, in addition to five private flights.
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