The Starliner Saga Comes to an End

The prolonged and dramatic story of NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore’s nine-month stay in space is finally coming to a close. The duo is set to return home on Tuesday, marking the end of a mission that was initially supposed to last only eight days. However, despite the story’s conclusion, President Donald Trump has taken one final opportunity to criticize the previous administration, spreading disinformation and exaggerations about the mission.

Trump’s Claims

On Monday, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to claim credit for the plan to bring the Starliner astronauts back home. He alleged that he had spoken with NASA’s Acting Administrator, Janet Petro, and that she had agreed to let the astronauts come home earlier than planned. Trump also claimed that his administration had facilitated a "rescue mission" to bring the astronauts home, accusing the Biden administration of having "abandoned" them.

Fact-Checking Trump’s Claims

A closer examination of Trump’s claims reveals a number of inaccuracies and exaggerations. The plan to bring the Starliner crew home has been in the works since August of last year, and NASA’s involvement has been minimal. The mission to return the astronauts was a routine SpaceX mission, and it is unclear which "geniuses" at NASA supposedly played a role in the return.

Background and Context

The Starliner mission was the first crewed flight of Boeing’s program to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. The mission was initially supposed to last eight days but was extended due to technical issues with the spacecraft. Williams and Wilmore were assigned to a pair of seats aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which launched in September and has been parked outside the ISS since then.

Trump’s Motivations

Trump’s claims about the Starliner mission appear to be motivated by a desire to politicize the story and criticize the previous administration. He has attempted to create a narrative that the Biden administration "abandoned" the astronauts and that his administration came to their rescue. However, this narrative is not supported by the facts.

The Truth

The truth is that the plan to bring the Starliner crew home has been in place for months, and Trump’s administration has played a minimal role in the mission. The astronauts were never in need of a "rescue mission," and the Crew Dragon spacecraft has been available to them since September. The decision to return the astronauts two weeks earlier than planned was made due to technical issues with the SpaceX Crew Dragon, not due to any action taken by Trump or his administration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Trump’s claims about the Starliner mission are filled with disinformation, exaggerations, and outright falsehoods. The mission to return the astronauts has been a routine SpaceX mission, and Trump’s administration has played a minimal role in the process. The astronauts themselves have stated that politics has not played a role in their mission, and it is unlikely that they will play into Trump’s ploy to politicize the story. Despite this, Trump will likely continue to seize on the Starliner saga as an opportunity to criticize his predecessor and promote his own administration’s accomplishments.