NASA explained its decision to leave astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in space longer than necessary was primarily financial. Associate Administrator Ken Bowersox stated that while SpaceX offered options for an early return, discussions were quickly sidelined due to budget limitations, particularly given NASA's $30 billion FY 2024 budget. Additionally, there were hints of political influence in the decision-making process. Despite claims of no political motivation from former NASA administrator Bill Nelson, Elon Musk suggested that a political strategy influenced the delay, which aims to maintain more science operations onboard the ISS until their scheduled departure on March 16.
Ken Bowersox clarified that while SpaceX provided options for bringing astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore home sooner, the final decision was primarily based on budget constraints.
Elon Musk mentioned that President Biden rejected his offer to bring Williams and Wilmore home early to avoid making Trump look favorable in the upcoming elections.
Collection
[
|
...
]