As NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams hurtle toward Earth, with a splashdown expected off the coast of Florida just before 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, the biggest winner in their ordeal will be none other than Elon Musk.
The biggest loser: Boeing.
What was meant to be a short stay for the pair at the International Space Station (ISS) turned into an unexpected nine-month mission. Their intended ride home, the Boeing Starliner capsule that delivered them to the ISS last June, was sidelined due to multiple technical failures, leaving them waiting for a backup plan. That backup came, at long last, courtesy of Musk’s SpaceX.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft docked to the International Space Station. From left, are NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, and NASA astronauts… NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft docked to the International Space Station. From left, are NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, and NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wimore. NASA
Starliner, plagued by thruster malfunctions and helium leaks once it docked at the ISS, not only extended their sojourn but also handed Musk a golden opportunity to showcase his company’s dominant position in American spaceflight.
The last-minute reliance on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule underscored the chasm between Musk’s relative upstart company and Boeing, the 108-year-old aerospace giant that has been bedeviled by technical, safety and engineering issues for years. It’s a contrast Musk has been happy to celebrate and exploit, having already posted to X a video of Wilmore and Williams thanking him for their safe return.
The Context
Starliner’s failure was the latest in a series of problems for Boeing, whose space division has struggled to meet expectations. The spacecraft was originally meant to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. But repeated delays, cost overruns and technical failures have cast doubt over Starliner’s future.
Facing these setbacks, NASA ultimately made the call last October: Starliner would return to Earth—but without its crew. Instead, Williams and Wilmore would wait for a ride home aboard the Crew Dragon, a reality that allowed Musk to score an easy win while taking shots at Boeing, NASA and even the Biden administration for the mess in space.
What to Know
Wilmore and Williams launched aboard Starliner last June, marking the spacecraft’s first crewed test flight—a moment that should have been a milestone for Boeing. But almost immediately, problems emerged. The vehicle’s thrusters failed while docking to the ISS, and ongoing helium leaks made NASA increasingly hesitant to trust the vehicle for the return trip.
Facing repeated setbacks, NASA quietly arranged for the astronauts to return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon instead. The plan had been in place since August, but when the details emerged publicly, Musk turned it into a political wedge, accusing Biden of “stranding” the pair for “political reasons.”
In this photo provided by NASA, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is docked to the Harmony module of the International Space Station on July 3, 2024, seen from a window on the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked… In this photo provided by NASA, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is docked to the Harmony module of the International Space Station on July 3, 2024, seen from a window on the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to an adjacent port. NASA/AP
“I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to ‘go get’ the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration,” Trump said shortly after his inauguration in January. “They shamefully forgot about the Astronauts because they considered it to be a very embarrassing event for them.”
NASA officials pushed back on that, noting that the agency had planned to use Crew Dragon for months. Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen called Musk’s claims a “lie,” sparking a social media feud that saw Musk fire back that Mogensen was “fully retarded.” Retired NASA astronauts, including Scott Kelly and Chris Hadfield, also dismissed the idea that Williams and Wilmore had been abandoned on the ISS.
A Growing Conflict of Interest?
While Boeing stumbles, SpaceX is thriving. Crew Dragon has become NASA’s only reliable workhorse, and Musk’s ambitions extend far beyond low-Earth orbit. The company’s Starship rocket—designed for missions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars—has secured NASA contracts, further cementing SpaceX’s role in the agency’s long-term plans.
Yet Musk’s growing influence over U.S. space policy has sparked concern among lawmakers. Now at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he could have the power to shift NASA’s priorities further in SpaceX’s favor, potentially sidelining competitors like Boeing. In a letter to NASA, members of the House Science Committee warned that an audit of the space agency by DOGE could pose risks to fair competition.
“The possibility that such proprietary data could be obtained by the CEO of SpaceX without regard to NASA procurement rules risks compromising the integrity of NASA procurement decisions in the future,” the letter read.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with four Crew-9 members aboard departs the International Space Station moments after undocking from the Harmony module’s space-facing port. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with four Crew-9 members aboard departs the International Space Station moments after undocking from the Harmony module’s space-facing port. NASA+
This scrutiny comes at a pivotal moment for NASA, which is undergoing major restructuring. Reports indicate that hundreds of employees have accepted buyouts, raising concerns about a loss of institutional knowledge. At the same time, NASA’s Artemis program—its ambitious effort to return humans to the Moon—faces potential funding shifts that could align with Musk’s long-standing goal of Mars colonization.
One key area of concern is the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s massive rocket developed for Artemis missions. Boeing, the primary contractor for the SLS core and upper stages, has faced repeated delays and cost overruns. As Musk looks to streamline government spending with DOGE, analysts speculate that the program could be on the chopping block.
The SLS is currently scheduled to launch Artemis II in 2027, followed by Artemis III—the first crewed lunar landing attempt since the Apollo missions. However, with growing political pressure to cut costs, there is increasing speculation that the Trump administration could push for a commercially built alternative, such as SpaceX’s Starship, to replace the troubled Boeing-led SLS.
Adding to those concerns, President Trump has nominated billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, and close friend of Musk, as NASA’s next administrator. Isaacman, who made his fortune in payment processing, has personally financed and flown on private SpaceX missions.
Musk’s Frustrations
As Musk publicly celebrated his company’s role in returning the stranded astronauts, he also used the moment to take a swipe at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Musk has long accused the agency of unfairly targeting SpaceX while overlooking safety concerns with Boeing.
When the FAA fined SpaceX $633,009 for alleged violations of its launch licenses in 2023, Musk lashed out, arguing that the agency was prioritizing “petty” infractions over genuine safety risks.
“NASA deemed the Boeing capsule unsafe for astronaut return, turning, out of necessity, to SpaceX,” Musk wrote on X, which he also owns. “Yet instead of fining Boeing for putting astronauts at risk, the FAA is fining SpaceX for trivia!”
FILE PHOTO: President Donald Trump and Elon Musk watch SpaceX’s mega rocket Starship lift off in Boca Chica, Texas, on November 19, 2024. FILE PHOTO: President Donald Trump and Elon Musk watch SpaceX’s mega rocket Starship lift off in Boca Chica, Texas, on November 19, 2024. Brandon Bell/Pool via AP
SpaceX has repeatedly clashed with the FAA over delays in approving its Starship test launches, which Musk claims are driven by bureaucratic red tape rather than actual safety concerns. The company has accused the FAA of imposing unnecessary environmental reviews and slow-walking approvals in ways that hinder SpaceX’s progress.
Musk’s grievances with the FAA go beyond SpaceX. His broader push for deregulation has aligned him with Trump, who has also been critical of government oversight agencies. With Musk now in a government oversight role himself through DOGE, questions are being raised about whether he will use his position to weaken regulatory checks on SpaceX while scrutinizing competitors like Boeing.
But given Boeing’s repeated missteps, one fact remains: NASA has become increasingly dependent on and intertwined with SpaceX, and Musk has capitalized on every opportunity to highlight that reliance.
