Elon Musk’s dad has taken aim at former US President Joe Biden after Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth.
The pair splashed down off the coast of Florida after being stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months.
Speaking on GB News, Errol Musk said the rescue mission, carried out by his son’s SpaceX, could have been done a lot sooner.
He accused the former president of stifling efforts as it may have played in President Trump’s favour on the campaign trail.
Errol Musk praised his son’s efforts in bringing the astronauts back to Earth
NASA / PA
“Elon offered to bring them back seven months ago”, he said.
“The Biden administration wouldn’t allow it because it looked too good for his administration. So he kept them up there.
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The SpaceX Capsule splashed down off the coast of FloridaNasa“Elon Musk offered to bring them back seven months ago. There was a slot available to bring them back.
“The Biden administration wouldn’t allow it because it looked too good for the Trump campaign.
“It’s interesting. The United Launch Alliance was given $5 billion to build their capsule. SpaceX was given $2.5 billion.”
Asked how much credit his son deserves for the rescue mission, Errol sarcastically branded his son an “average Joe”, before remarking “he’s pretty smart”.
Errol Musk joined Patrick Christys to discuss the return of the two astronauts
GB NEWS / NASA
Nasa and space experts, including the two astronauts, have disputed that the decision was based on politics.
In a press conference earlier this month, Nasa officials said safety and budget concerns were the main factors behind the decision.
President Trump has claimed that he sanctioned the return after making a personal appeal to Musk.
The pair left Earth last June from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in a mission that was expected to last eight days.
The mission’s purpose was to evaluate if the spacecraft could be used for regular astronaut rotation missions, but after multiple helium leaks, the return mission was delayed until further testing could be conducted.
Helium leaks stabilised after arrival at the ISS, but problems with the thrusters prompted Nasa to decide to send the Starliner aircraft back to Earth empty.
Musk then came into the picture as SpaceX and Nasa officials convened to determine a plan to rescue the astronauts.
