Another day, another Twitter showdown – this time, Elon Musk is sparring with three NASA astronauts.
It seems Musk wasn’t content with just the controversy surrounding accusations of performing a ‘Nazi salute’ to kick off 2025. He took to Twitter again, this time using a slur against a former NASA astronaut. A clip from a Fox News broadcast featuring US President Donald Trump and Musk surfaced, where they discussed the two astronauts, Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore. The pair were originally set to return to Earth in June, after spending eight days in space, but their return has now been delayed until March. Musk said: “At the president’s instruction, we are accelerating the return of the astronauts, which was delayed to a ridiculous extent.”
He continued, “They were left up there for political reasons, which is not good.”
Naturally, European Space Agency astronaut and commander of ISS for Expedition 70, Andreas Mogensen, quickly fired back. Resharing the clip, Mogensen wrote: “What a lie. And from someone who complains about a lack of honesty from the mainstream media.”
Musk, never one to hold back, didn’t miss a beat in his response. “You are fully r******d,” he replied. “SpaceX could’ve brought them back months ago. I OFFERED THIS DIRECTLY to the Biden administration and they refused.”
“The return WAS pushed back for political reasons. Idiot.”
Looks like Musk’s latest Twitter rant is fueling more tension between him and the space community.
Former NASA astronaut and US Navy Captain Scott Kelly joined the fray, defending his colleague Andreas Mogensen. He praised Mogensen as “one of the most competent, trustworthy, and honest people” he had ever met, sharing his own firsthand experience as the commander of the International Space Station when Mogensen flew his first space mission. “This rhetoric is beyond the pale but, sadly, not surprising. He does not deserve this kind of disrespect,” Kelly remarked.
But Musk was far from backing down, responding: “Yes, he does. He is an idiot who publicly attacked me, despite having no idea what ACTUALLY happened. Btw, your brother claims to be independent, but is just a Dem donor shill.”
The debate took another turn when Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, Scott Kelly’s brother, tagged Musk in a post. He challenged the Tesla CEO to “come talk to the three of us” only after he “finally gets the nerve to climb into a rocket ship.”
It’s clear this Twitter clash between Musk and the astronaut community isn’t cooling off anytime soon.
Mogensen responded with a more measured tone, saying: “Elon, I have long admired you and what you have accomplished, especially at SpaceX and Tesla. But you know as well as I do that Butch and Suni are returning with Crew-9, as has been the plan since last September.”
He continued: “Even now, you are not sending up a rescue ship to bring them home. They are returning on the Dragon capsule that has been on the ISS since last September.”
It’s clear that despite the heated exchange, Mogensen is still committed to the truth behind the astronauts’ return plans, emphasizing the preparations already in place.
UNILAD has contacted Elon Musk’s representatives for comment.
