At around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, SpaceX’s Starship exploded as it prepared for its tenth flight test at SpaceX’s Starbase in southern Texas. 
In an X post on Wednesday, SpaceX attributed the event to a “major anomaly” and said that their “team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials.” No one was injured in the massive explosion, according to SpaceX. 
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On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted…
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1935572705941880971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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According to the livestream video of the incident, the rocket experienced at least two explosions, one after the other, before debris rained down on the surrounding area. SpaceX <a href="https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1935572705941880971">reassured</a> that there were no casualties and residents in the nearby communities will not experience any hazards. 
Tech-titan and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk weighed in on X, where he joked that the explosion was “just a scratch.” 
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Just a scratch
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1935638560276926914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Starship rocket system is essential to Musk’s ambition to put humans on Mars and this event is only the latest in a series of setbacks.
In May, the Starship spun out of control halfway through its flight without accomplishing some of its testing goals. Two months before that, the rocket exploded in space just minutes after lifting off from Texas. 
Of this latest failure, Musk said that “preliminary data suggests that a nitrogen COPV in the payload bay failed below its proof pressure. If further investigation confirms that this is what happened, it is the first time ever for this design.”
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Preliminary data suggests that a nitrogen COPV in the payload bay failed below its proof pressure.
If further investigation confirms that this is what happened, it is the first time ever for this design.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1935660973827952675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Starbase

SpaceX Starship Explodes At Launch Site – On Camera

Elon Musk

Explosion

Space

SpaceX

Texas

President Donald Trump on Friday night took numerous questions from the press about the rift with billionaire Elon Musk, who recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-goes-after-trump-over-epstein-files-time-to-drop-the-really-big-bomb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attacked</a> Trump on his social media platform, X.
The president repeatedly said he hopes Musk&#8217;s company Tesla does well and praised Musk&#8217;s brainchild, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but said he&#8217;s &#8220;not really interested&#8221; in working toward reconciliation.
&#8220;There are efforts &#8212; I&#8217;ve been asked about it,&#8221; Trump said of outsiders trying to get the pair back together. &#8220;But I&#8217;m not really interested in it. I&#8217;m really interested in the country and solving problems, including war problems in very far away lands.&#8221;
Trump also said he&#8217;ll look at potentially canceling government contracts with Musk&#8217;s companies, only if it&#8217;s &#8220;fair.&#8221;
&#8220;We’ll take a look at everything. He gets a lot of subsidy, so we&#8217;ll take a look at that — only if it’s fair for him, and for the country, I would certainly think about it, yeah. But it has to be fair,&#8221; the president said. “I hope he does well with Tesla. I just wish him well.&#8221;
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Trump made a similar statement on Truth Social, <a href="https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-decommission-dragon-spacecraft-in-response-to-pres-trump-war-of-words-elon-musk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing</a>, &#8220;The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”
On reports of Musk&#8217;s alleged drug use, POTUS took to hitting the media. “I don’t want to comment on his drug use, I don&#8217;t know what his status is,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I read an article in The New York Times &#8212; I thought it was, frankly, it sounded very unfair to me.”
This past week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Musk’s statements on Trump were a reaction to not getting what he wanted in the reconciliation bill.
“This is an unfortunate episode from Elon,” she said in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-responds-to-elon-musk-epstein-claims-an-unfortunate-episode-from-elon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement to The Daily Wire</a>, “who is unhappy with the One Big, Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted.”
“The president is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again,” Leavitt added.
WATCH:
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Trump just answered a lot of questions tonight about Elon, as well as his companies. Here were his responses to each question:
Trump tonight on Elon Musk: “I hope he does well with Tesla. I just wish him well.”
Trump on if he will cancel Elon’s companies government contracts:… <a href="https://t.co/2jnaYtmQXj">pic.twitter.com/2jnaYtmQXj</a>
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) <a href="https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1931170672706760942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-responds-to-elon-musk-epstein-claims-an-unfortunate-episode-from-elon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Responds To Elon Musk Epstein Claims: ‘An Unfortunate Episode From Elon’</a>

Donald Trump and Elon Musk

‘Not Really Interested’: Trump Talks Elon Rift, Drug Use, And Possible Reconciliation

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Donald Trump

Executive

Politics

Tesla

President Donald Trump said Friday morning that he&#8217;s &#8220;not particularly&#8221; interested in speaking with Elon Musk after the massive blowup between the two former allies on Thursday.
Musk signaled his interest in smoothing things over with Trump Thursday night when he replied to an X <a href="https://x.com/BillAckman/status/1930738907081331040">post</a> from billionaire Trump supporter Bill Ackman calling for Trump and Musk to &#8220;make peace for the benefit of our great country.&#8221;
&#8220;You&#8217;re not wrong,&#8221; the Tesla and SpaceX CEO <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1930798791806050496">replied</a>.
According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/05/trump-white-house-aides-signal-a-possible-detente-with-musk-00391502">POLITICO</a>, White House aides urged the president to avoid escalating the fight with Musk and scheduled a phone call with Musk for Friday. Trump, however, doesn&#8217;t appear ready to take that step, <a href="https://x.com/jonkarl/status/1930953493797273708?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">telling</a> ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl in a phone call Friday morning that while Musk wants to talk, the president is &#8220;not particularly&#8221; interested in a discussion. Karl added that Trump didn&#8217;t &#8220;seem angry or even concerned about the feud.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/06/politics/donald-trump-elon-musk-rift">told</a> CNN Friday morning, &#8220;I won’t be speaking to [Musk] for a while I guess, but I wish him well.”
“I’m not even thinking about Elon,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;He’s got a problem. The poor guy’s got a problem.”
Just hours earlier, Trump said he was &#8220;very disappointed&#8221; with Musk for his comments on the &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill,&#8221; sparking a back-and-forth between the two titans on social media, culminating in Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-goes-after-trump-over-epstein-files-time-to-drop-the-really-big-bomb?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Elon+Musk+Goes+After+Trump+Over+Epstein+Files%3A+%E2%80%98Time+To+Drop+The+Really+Big+Bomb%E2%80%99">accusing</a> Trump of sitting on the Epstein Files because he is implicated in them, and Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-musk-just-went-crazy-threatens-his-governmental-subsidies-and-contracts">threatening</a> to strip Musk&#8217;s companies of government subsidies and contracts.
In a Truth Social post, the president rebuked his former senior adviser, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-musk-just-went-crazy-threatens-his-governmental-subsidies-and-contracts">saying</a> that Musk &#8220;just went CRAZY.&#8221;
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“Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!” the president posted.
“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” he added in a follow-up. “I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114632555927229642">added</a> later on Thursday night, &#8220;I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago.&#8221;
&#8220;This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress,&#8221; he added, referring to his &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill.&#8221; &#8220;It’s a Record Cut in Expenses, $1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given. If this Bill doesn’t pass, there will be a 68% Tax Increase, and things far worse than that. I didn’t create this mess, I’m just here to FIX IT. This puts our Country on a Path of Greatness. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
Musk&#8217;s main <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-hes-very-disappointed-with-elon-musk-fires-back?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Says+He%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%98Very+Disappointed+With+Elon%E2%80%99%3B+Musk+Fires+Back">criticism</a> of Trump&#8217;s key piece of legislation centers on the federal deficit and government waste, issues that Musk believes must be immediately addressed. The Tesla CEO denied that the bill&#8217;s lack of EV tax credits played a part in his opposition to it.
“Whatever. Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil &amp; gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,&#8221; Musk said in response to Trump&#8217;s comments.
Trump also told reporters that he “would have won Pennsylvania regardless of Elon,” a comment <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/musk-floats-creating-a-new-political-party-amid-fallout-with-trump?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Musk+Floats+Creating+%E2%80%98A+New+Political+Party%E2%80%99+Amid+Fallout+With+Trump">sparking the ire</a> of Musk, who shot back on X, writing, &#8220;Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.&#8221;
Musk was Trump&#8217;s top campaign donor in the 2024 election, spending at least $277 million and launching an aggressive operation in Pennsylvania, a swing state Trump won by roughly 1.7 percentage points.
&#8220;Such ingratitude,&#8221; Musk added.

Donald Trump/Elon Musk

Musk Signals He’s Open To Speaking With Trump, But President ‘Not Particularly’ Interested

Bill Ackman

Celebrities

Trump Administration

White House

Elon Musk has retaliated to President Donald Trump’s threat to pull all SpaceX contracts, with the SpaceX CEO announcing the decommissioning of the company’s Dragon spacecraft servicing NASA astronauts &#8220;immediately.&#8221;
Musk announced the move on X in response to President Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114632206992330264">threat</a> to “terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.” SpaceX alone has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/05/musk-trump-spacex-dragon-nasa.html">received</a> $20 billion in various government contracts since 2008, per CNBC.
Musk responded in kind, writing on X, “In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.”
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In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately <a href="https://t.co/NG9sijjkgW">pic.twitter.com/NG9sijjkgW</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1930718684819112251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump and Musk’s social media blow-up began soon after Musk left his leadership position in the Department of Government Efficiency, with Musk spending the days since repeatedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/musk-floats-creating-a-new-political-party-amid-fallout-with-trump?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Musk+Floats+Creating+%E2%80%98A+New+Political+Party%E2%80%99+Amid+Fallout+With+Trump">blasting</a> the president’s signature piece of legislation, expressing concern about it adding to the federal deficit.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule is currently the only viable craft capable of servicing the International Space Station, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-awards-spacex-more-crew-flights-to-space-station/#:~:text=The%20amount%20includes%20ground%2C%20launch,cargo%2C%20to%20the%20space%20station">receiving</a> a $5 billion NASA contract in 2014, and until recently, it was slated to continue servicing the station until its retirement in 2030.
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According to SpaceX’s <a href="https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/dragon/">website</a>, “[The Dragon spacecraft] is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth, and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station.”
Most recently, a Dragon craft <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rescued-astronaut-praises-trump-musk-theyve-earned-my-trust?fbclid=IwY2xjawKu4vxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF0YWpzbHI5Qkc4UXJDUUtRAR7mCyT2o8-6OKICXuZ2XKbCpPjuGCIjUulAbsI9hVsnuS_58F4S8B4lLSi9cw_aem_TJjOGsrMrY_Kh0ZxdVfUOQ">rescued</a> NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams after they spent nine months stranded on the ISS.
After Musk&#8217;s announcement, NASA Press Secretary Bethany Stevens <a href="https://x.com/NASASpox/status/1930728558558900435">said</a> in a post on X that the agency “will continue to execute upon the President’s vision for the future of space. We will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the President’s objectives in space are met.”
UPDATE: After publication, an anonymous X user seemed to persuade Musk to retract his threat, with Musk <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1930796810928599163">replying</a>, “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon.&#8221;

Donald Trump Watches SpaceX Launch Its Sixth Test Flight Of Starship Spacecraft BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 19:

Musk Fires Back At Trump With Threat To Pull NASA’s Only Ride To Space

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA

News

President Donald Trump continued his tirade against his former senior adviser, Elon Musk, on Thursday, posting on social media that Musk &#8220;just went CRAZY!&#8221; and threatening to strip government contracts with his companies.
Trump posted about Musk on Truth Social as the Tesla and SpaceX owner took to his social media platform, X, to call out the president for pushing the &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill.&#8221; The back-and-forth started when Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that he was &#8220;very disappointed&#8221; with Musk&#8217;s criticism of his signature piece of legislation.
&#8220;Elon was &#8216;wearing thin,&#8217; I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!&#8221; the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114632206992330264">wrote</a>.
&#8220;The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114632206992330264">added</a> in a follow-up post. &#8220;I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!&#8221;
Musk responded to Trump&#8217;s posts, calling them &#8220;an obvious lie.&#8221;
&#8220;So sad,&#8221; Musk added.
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Such an obvious lie. So sad. <a href="https://t.co/sOu9vqMVfX">https://t.co/sOu9vqMVfX</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1930698237650026675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Musk also <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1930698593100599462">mocked</a> Trump&#8217;s threat to end the government contracts with SpaceX, writing, &#8220;This just gets better and better. Go ahead, make my day.&#8221;
SpaceX holds numerous contracts with the federal government, including for space transportation, satellite launches, and internet services. The federal government recently <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/spacex-ula-expected-clinch-multibillion-dollar-contract-key-pentagon-launch-2025-04-04/">signed</a> a $13.5 billion contract with SpaceX, along with United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin, to launch sensitive Pentagon satellites into space.
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Musk&#8217;s electric vehicle company, Tesla, has also received government contracts and subsidies through the years, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-tesla-biden-federal-contract-electric-vehicles-donald-trump-f8f5b07d03f6e0c9d072abd69feedec4">raking</a> in over $40 million from the federal government.
The fallout between Trump and Musk stems from Musk&#8217;s belief that the president’s bill doesn’t do enough to cut waste and fraud in the federal government. He is also concerned about the &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; adding to the federal deficit. Trump said on Thursday that Musk &#8220;only developed the problem [with the bill] when he found out we’re going to have to cut the EV [electric vehicle] mandate,&#8221; a claim that Musk denied.
“Whatever. Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil &amp; gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,&#8221; Musk said. &#8220;In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.”
Just last week, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-only-grow-stronger-musk-says-its-still-the-beginning-of-doge-as-he-steps-back-from-role">held</a> a friendly press conference with Musk, announcing his transition away from the White House. During the press conference in the Oval Office, Musk said he would &#8220;continue to be visiting here, and be a friend and an adviser to the president.&#8221;

Trump Says Musk ‘Just Went CRAZY,’ Threatens His ‘Governmental Subsidies And Contracts’

President Trump&#8217;s NASA administrator nominee, Jared Isaacman, vowed at his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday that America would dominate the new space race with China, with the agency focusing on simultaneous moon and Mars missions without requiring budget increases.
Isaacman <a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-commerce-committee-considers-nasa-and-fcc-nominations/658331">testified</a> in front of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, &amp; Transportation, and when asked by committee chair Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) about the practicality of simultaneous moon and Mars missions, he didn’t flinch.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think we have to make any tough trades here, Senator. I think if we can concentrate our resources at the world&#8217;s greatest space agency, we don&#8217;t have to make a binary decision of moon versus Mars or moon has to come first versus Mars,&#8221; Isaacman told the Senate Commerce Committee in response to questioning about NASA&#8217;s priorities.
&#8220;I think we can do the moon and Mars and beyond,&#8221; Isaacman said in response to similar questioning by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
The 42-year-old entrepreneur and astronaut delivered a stark warning about the growing competition with China in space, declaring that &#8220;space is the ultimate high ground. We cannot afford to cede that ground.&#8221;
When Senator Cruz displayed a poster depicting Chinese astronauts potentially beating Americans to the lunar surface, Isaacman confidently remarked, &#8220;Senator, I only see the left-hand portion of that poster,&#8221; referring to the part of the image showing American astronauts reaching the moon first.
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“Senator, I only see the left hand side of that poster” &#8211; absolute mic drop moment from <a href="https://twitter.com/rookisaacman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rookisaacman</a> at his confirmation hearing today to be the next <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a> Administrator! <a href="https://t.co/ylKYIuNBHX">pic.twitter.com/ylKYIuNBHX</a>
&mdash; Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) <a href="https://twitter.com/Erdayastronaut/status/1909989209349255474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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If confirmed, Isaacman would bring significant private sector and spaceflight experience to NASA, having commanded and even personally funded multiple space missions, including Polaris Dawn in 2024, which featured the first commercial spacewalk by a civilian astronaut.
When pressed by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) on whether the space agency could simultaneously pursue multiple ambitious goals given possible DOGE budget cuts, Isaacman insisted that NASA &#8220;was built to do the near impossible&#8221; and reminded Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) that NASA already has “a pretty extraordinary budget … it&#8217;s close to every federal law enforcement agency combined times two.”
Isaacman faced multiple questions about his relationship with SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who has been a key ally to the Trump administration. &#8220;my loyalty is to this nation, the space agency, and their world-changing mission,&#8221; Isaacman stated unequivocally in response to the Michigan Senator&#8217;s inquiry, &#8220;NASA is the customer. [SpaceX/Contractors] work for us, not the other way around.&#8221;
The nominee outlined an ambitious vision for America&#8217;s space agency beyond just moon and Mars missions, with his priorities including making NASA financially self-sustaining, investing in nuclear propulsion technology, recruiting top scientific talent, using social media to inspire young Americans about space exploration, and expanding deep space science missions with more probes, rovers, and telescopes.
The renewed focus on space exploration comes as China has rapidly <a href="https://www.space.com/china-moon-base-south-pole-2035">advanced</a> its own ambitions, recently announcing plans to establish a permanent lunar base by 2035. Beijing&#8217;s space program has seen unprecedented growth over the past decade, with successful missions to the far side of the moon and the deployment of its own space station. National security experts have increasingly warned that allowing China to establish dominance in space could threaten American technological superiority and military capabilities.
Isaacman, who founded payment processing company Shift4 Payments and has personally flown to space as commander of the all-civilian Inspiration4 mission, outlined specific strategies to make NASA financially self-sustaining. He emphasized the need to &#8220;unlock the true economic potential of space&#8221; by developing stronger partnerships between the agency, academic institutions, and private industry.
Isaacman concluded his testimony by reiterating his commitment to American leadership in space. &#8220;We will do this not just to expand our knowledge or strengthen our national security, but to improve all life on Earth and inspire the next generation to reach even further,&#8221; he said.
Trump announced Isaacman’s nomination in December 2024: “Over the past 25 years, as the Founder and CEO of Shift4, Jared has demonstrated exceptional leadership, building a trailblazing global financial technology company. He also co-founded and served as CEO of Draken International, a defense aerospace company, for over a decade, supporting the U.S. Department of Defense, and our Allies.&#8221;
“Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113595378122687080">said</a> on Truth Social.

Jared Isaacman Testifies In His Senate Nomination Hearing To Be NASA Administrator

‘Moon, Mars, And Beyond’: Trump’s NASA Pick Promises American Dominance In New Space Race

Senate

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams thanked President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in their first interview since being rescued after spending nine months stranded on the international Space Station.
The pair were rescued by a SpaceX crew on March 18 after a problem with their Boeing Starliner turned their week-long planned mission into a nine-month extended stay — and they spoke about their experience during a Monday interview on &#8220;America&#8217;s Newsroom&#8221; with Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer.
Noting that the rescue mission — which Elon Musk had offered to undertake last year, but was reportedly shut down by President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration — had been a priority for both Musk and President Trump, Hemmer asked, &#8220;What would you like to say to President Trump and Elon Musk?&#8221;
WATCH:
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One of the astronauts who was stranded in space for nearly nine months says President Trump and <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> have &quot;earned his trust,&quot; adding their leadership has been &quot;strengthening for our nation.&quot; | <a href="https://twitter.com/BillHemmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BillHemmer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AmericaNewsroom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmericaNewsroom</a> <a href="https://t.co/5CmHRzzHKw">pic.twitter.com/5CmHRzzHKw</a>
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1906737803032985786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I respect you. I trust you. You’ve given me no reason not to trust you, either one of them. What they say, I can’t say what they say. I haven’t lived that. But I have no reason not to believe anything they say because they’ve earned my trust,&#8221; Wilmore said. &#8220;And for that, I am grateful that our national leaders actually are coming in and taking part in our human spaceflight program, which we see is hugely important global significance and they take an active role and based on the past and what we see now with them doing that it’s refreshing – not just refreshing – it’s empowering.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s strengthening for our nation, I think it’s a good thing for our nation when the national leaders, especially something that’s high visibility, are involved in the process and I’m grateful for that,&#8221; he added.
Williams also responded to the question, saying that she, too, was grateful that Trump and Musk had made their safe return to earth a priority.
&#8220;I’m just glad that they’re involved and they take notice. And, our situation, I think I mentioned before, maybe wasn’t the perfect situation, but allowed a lot of people, including the President and Elon, to look at what’s going on on the International Space Station, take it very seriously and understand that our involvement as a country, as a spacefaring nation, is really important throughout the world,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And it sets an example and it shows, you know, our ability to be able to do the hard things, put people in space, operate in space work in space and then bring us back. It’s important and I appreciate that them and many, many, many more people took notice of it.&#8221;

US-SPACE-SPACEX-CREW 9

Rescued Astronaut Praises Trump, Musk: ‘They’ve Earned My Trust’

Rescued Astronaut Praises Trump, Musk: 'They've Earned My Trust'

General

U.S.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he would personally cover overtime pay for two NASA astronauts stuck at the International Space Station for more than nine months.
Trump made the comments in the Oval Office after a reporter asked him about the fact that astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry &#8220;Butch&#8221; Wilmore would <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/nasa-astronauts-only-get-five-dollars-top-salary-stuck-space-2047544" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only</a> receive about five dollars per day for every day they were stranded in space. The NASA astronauts were supposed to only be gone for an eight-day mission but ended up being there for 286 days after the Boeing spacecraft that was supposed to pick them up malfunctioned. 
“Well, nobody has ever mentioned this to me,” Trump told Fox News reporter Peter Doocy. “If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket, Okay? I’ll get it for them.&#8221;
Williams and Wilmore <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/nasa-astronauts-overtime.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are</a> only entitled to around $1400 for the extra time they spent in space.
“Is that all? That’s not a lot for what they had to go through. And I want to thank (SpaceX CEO) Elon Musk,” Trump added. “Think if we don’t have him. You know, there’s only so long, even though they’re in the capsule up there, the body starts to deteriorate after nine or ten months, and gets really bad after 14, 15 months, with the bones and the blood and all the things that you’ve been reporting on very well.&#8221;
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“If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket.”
Trump offers to pay for the overtime of the two rescued astronauts, who apparently received just $5 per day in per diem for their extra time. <a href="https://t.co/3mYY3aS07f">pic.twitter.com/3mYY3aS07f</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1903122422867296525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;And if we don’t have Elon, they could be up there a long time, who else is going to get them? And I just want to thank him, he’s going through a lot,&#8221; Trump said, referencing the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nothing-short-of-domestic-terrorism-ag-bondi-issues-statement-after-violent-attacks-on-tesla" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uptick</a> in acts of vandalism and violence directed at Tesla properties. 
Williams and Wilmore <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/promise-made-promise-kept-astronauts-stranded-during-biden-admin-finally-head-back-to-earth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made it back</a> to Earth on Tuesday after Musk sent a SpaceX Dragon capsule to pick them up. That came after Trump asked Musk in January to “go get” the astronauts after he said they had been “virtually abandoned in space by the Biden administration.”
Musk claimed in February that he had offered to bring the astronauts home early “months ago” but that the Biden administration “refused,” delaying their return for “political reasons,” which NASA officials have denied.

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‘Out Of My Own Pocket’: Trump Offers To Cover Overtime For Stranded Astronauts

Air and Space

News crews observing the splashdown of the SpaceX capsule carrying NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Suni Williams — and Russian cosmonaut Aleks Gorbunov — noticed that Crew-9 was being greeted by the locals shortly after they hit the water.
A post on X from NASA&#8217;s Johnson Space Center included video of a pod of curious dolphins approaching the craft after it landed in the water off Florida&#8217;s gulf coast, leaping out of the water nearby as crews approached to aid the astronauts.
&#8220;The unplanned welcome crew! Crew-9 had some surprise visitors after splashing down this afternoon,&#8221; the caption read.
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The unplanned welcome crew!
Crew-9 had some surprise visitors after splashing down this afternoon.🐬 <a href="https://t.co/yuOxtTsSLV">pic.twitter.com/yuOxtTsSLV</a>
&mdash; NASA&#39;s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson/status/1902124589636784140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In the video, a female voice was describing some of the safety checks and procedures taking place in preparation for pulling the capsule out of the ocean — but then she noticed something else in the water: &#8220;Wow, we got a cute little pod of dolphins, it wasn&#8217;t just one or two! I mean, that water just looks beautiful. We had ideal splashdown parameters today, obviously &#8230; the weather is beautiful.&#8221;
Vice President JD Vance commented as well:
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This is extremely cool <a href="https://t.co/SQYJpSUA2l">https://t.co/SQYJpSUA2l</a>
&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1902131566521795054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;This is amazing. Dolphins were in the gulf to welcome the NASA astronauts home after being rescued,&#8221; another post on X read.
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This is amazing. Dolphins were in the gulf to welcome the NASA astronauts home after being rescued. 🐬🥹🚀 <a href="https://t.co/bsHPStq8rU">pic.twitter.com/bsHPStq8rU</a>
&mdash; Brandi Churchwell (@BrandiNChurch) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandiNChurch/status/1902124111599382897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Dolphin cam!!! <a href="https://t.co/K250W8CEzp">pic.twitter.com/K250W8CEzp</a>
&mdash; Ellie in Space 🚀💫 (@esherifftv) <a href="https://twitter.com/esherifftv/status/1902123576032985131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Right now: Dolphins are greeting the SpaceX Dragon that just splashed down in the Gulf of America,&#8221; The Daily Wire&#8217;s Kassy Akiva posted.
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Right now: Dolphins are greeting the SpaceX Dragon that just splashed down in the Gulf of America. <a href="https://t.co/TMiQjTd6ev">pic.twitter.com/TMiQjTd6ev</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1902122814649385221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;WOW! Dolphins are providing the welcoming committee for Dragon Freedom!&#8221; NASA Spaceflight posted.
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🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬 <a href="https://t.co/45wDD9HWFy">pic.twitter.com/45wDD9HWFy</a>
&mdash; NSF &#8211; NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1902123090886181072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Astronauts who were stuck in space for nine months splashing down in the Gulf of America and immediately being surrounded by a pack of dolphins is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen,&#8221; Greg Price added.
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Astronauts who were stuck in space for nine months splashing down in the Gulf of America and immediately being surrounded by a pack of dolphins is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. <a href="https://t.co/XqKauJtFzh">pic.twitter.com/XqKauJtFzh</a>
&mdash; Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1902128146121457967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Williams and Wilmore were initially supposed to stay on the International Space Station (ISS) for one week, but a problem with their Boeing Starliner craft left them stranded for nine months. Hague and Gorbunov arrived on the ISS several months later, and were there for just under six months prior to the rescue crew&#8217;s arrival. SpaceX&#8217;s Dragon capsule is set to be hoisted onto a rescue ship, after which crew members will be allowed to exit the capsule and will undergo medical checks.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Returns To Earth

‘Unplanned Welcome Crew’: Curious Dolphins Swarm Capsule As Astronauts Splash Down

'Unplanned Welcome Crew': Curious Dolphins Swarm Capsule As Astronauts Splash Down

Outer Space

Two NASA astronauts left stranded in space for nine months after a Boeing spacecraft malfunction finally made their journey home Tuesday in a SpaceX capsule, with President Trump saying that they had been &#8220;virtually abandoned&#8221; by the Biden administration.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/nx-s1-5331907/nasa-astronauts-return-long-space-station-suni-williams-butch-wilmore">departed</a> from the International Space Station at 1:05 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, and splashed down off Florida&#8217;s coast at around 6 p.m.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
SEE IT! Moment stranded astronauts brought back to Earth after they were abandoned by President Biden <a href="https://t.co/2X7DqcKqqU">pic.twitter.com/2X7DqcKqqU</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1902118488204046422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
What was initially planned as an eight-day mission aboard Boeing&#8217;s Starliner spacecraft launched on June 5 turned into a nine-month ordeal when the capsule experienced multiple helium leaks and thruster malfunctions.
NASA ultimately deemed the troubled Starliner too risky for a crewed return journey, sending the spacecraft back to Earth empty while leaving Williams and Wilmore to be incorporated into the space station&#8217;s regular crew.
In January, Trump said he asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to &#8220;go get&#8221; the astronauts whom he characterized as having been &#8220;virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration.&#8221;
Musk claimed in February that he had offered to bring the astronauts home early &#8220;months ago,&#8221; but that the Biden administration &#8220;refused,&#8221; delaying the pair’s return for &#8220;political reasons,&#8221; which NASA officials have denied.
During their extended stay, Williams and Wilmore completed several critical spacewalks and conducted over 200 scientific experiments. The pair, both experienced astronauts with previous space missions, adapted to their unexpected long-term assignment while maintaining a rigorous work schedule aboard the station.
Boeing&#8217;s Starliner program has been plagued by delays and technical issues, with Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/boeings-starliner-return-earth-delayed-indefinitely-2024-06-22/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">reporting</a> “$1.5 billion in cost overruns beyond its $4.5-billion NASA development contract” for little results compared to SpaceX, which received $2.6 billion in comparison and has dominated the industry for years.
President Trump celebrated the news on Truth Social, writing on Monday, “[A]fter eight long months for a mission that was supposed to be eight days, IT IS TIME. I look forward to seeing Butch and Suni, and thank you again to NASA and Janet Petro!”

blog-dragon-undock-031725

WATCH: Astronauts Stranded During Biden Admin Finally Land Back On Earth

Biden Administration

Democrats are openly criticizing party leadership after they got steamrolled in budget negotiations, President Donald Trump unleashed strikes on terrorist targets in Yemen, and two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station for months prepare for their journey home.
It’s Monday, March 17, and this is news you need to know to start your week. If you&#8217;d rather listen to your news, today&#8217;s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/democratic-party-divides-trump-targets-houthis-3-17-25/id1576594336?i=1000699470192" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>Dems in Disarray</h2>
<div id="attachment_892617" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-892617" class="wp-image-892617 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Schumer-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Schumer-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Schumer-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Schumer-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Schumer-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Schumer-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Schumer-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Schumer-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown this weekend after a stunning turn that saw Democratic leaders give in to Republican demands.
On Friday, Republicans passed a continuing resolution through the Senate, which will fund the government for the next seven months. The bill had already passed through the House but could have been stalled in the Senate by a filibuster. The deadline to avoid a government shutdown was midnight on Friday. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who had been vocally opposed to the bill, reversed himself at the last minute along with seven other Democrats, including John Fetterman (PA), Kristen Gillibrand (NY), Dick Durbin (IL) and Gary Peters (MI).
Context: Much of the saber-rattling surrounding the bill was driven by criticism of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), President Trump’s memetic initiative for cutting government spending headed by Elon Musk. Critics of DOGE have claimed that the executive branch is overstepping its constitutional authority and wanted to leverage a potential shutdown to rein in their activities.
However, behind closed doors, many Congressional Democrats argued that they would receive the lion’s share of the blame for a government shutdown. Democrats are also in a tenuous position politically, as recent polls have found that public perception of the Democratic Party has reached record lows. A recent CNN poll found that just 29% of Americans have a favorable view of Democrats, the lowest number since the survey began in 1992. Recent NBC polling is even more grim for Democrats, finding only 27% of Americans approve of the party.
Some Democrats also concluded that an attempt to force a shutdown to protect their spending priorities could backfire since the president would have more authority to curb government spending and furlough or fire workers he deemed non-essential.
“A shutdown would allow DOGE to shift into overdrive,” Schumer said, explaining his reversal. “It would give Donald Trump and DOGE the keys to the city, state, and country.”
Backlash: Democrats in both chambers publicly slammed Schumer and the Senate Democrats who voted with him. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), for example, said Schumer’s effort “only makes matters worse.” In perhaps the most remarkable example, Schumer’s counterpart in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), all but threw Schumer under the bus, saying, “House Democrats will not be complicit. We remain strongly opposed to the partisan spending bill.”
&nbsp;
<h2>War and Peace</h2>
<div id="attachment_892619" style="width: 908px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-892619" class="wp-image-892619 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Bomber-Formation-898x576.jpg" alt="" width="898" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Bomber-Formation-898x576.jpg 898w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Bomber-Formation-300x192.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Bomber-Formation-768x493.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Bomber-Formation-1536x985.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Bomber-Formation-2048x1314.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 898px) 100vw, 898px" />(Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: The Trump administration took drastic action over the weekend to advance its foreign policy objectives, attacking Iranian proxies in the Middle East while making peace overtures to Russia to end the ongoing war with Ukraine.
The Middle East: On Saturday, President Trump announced that the United States had launched a strike on Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen, killing at least 19. The U.S. military attacked by air and sea, destroying missiles, drones, and missile defense systems.
The objective included opening the shipping lanes in the Red Sea, which the Houthis have obstructed for months. Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched more than 100 attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea. But the attack also sends a clear signal to Iran (and, quite likely, adversaries around the world), that Trump is willing to take a more aggressive approach than his predecessor.
Trump designated the Houthis a foreign terrorist organization at the end of his first term, a decision former President Joe Biden reversed. Trump touched on this on Saturday, saying that Biden’s attempt to clear the Red Sea “was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going.” The president also issued a warning to Iran, saying: “Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY!”
Ukraine: Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to speak this week for the second time since Trump took office in January. Ukraine agreed to a temporary ceasefire last week, which will take effect if Putin agrees.
While the ceasefire has not yet been finalized, early talks have reportedly been promising: Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, met with Putin late last week and told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the meeting was “positive” and “solutions-based.”
<h2> Space X To The Rescue</h2>
<div id="attachment_892621" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-892621" class="wp-image-892621 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Space-X-Falcon-Launch-3142025-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Space-X-Falcon-Launch-3142025-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Space-X-Falcon-Launch-3142025-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Space-X-Falcon-Launch-3142025-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Space-X-Falcon-Launch-3142025-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Space-X-Falcon-Launch-3142025-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Space-X-Falcon-Launch-3142025-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Space-X-Falcon-Launch-3142025-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: A SpaceX Crew-10 Dragon capsule docked at the International Space Station (ISS) early Sunday morning to relieve two American astronauts who have been stuck in orbit for nine months. NASA&#8217;s SpaceX Crew-10 mission launched from Florida on Friday.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Dragon capsule into orbit carrying a mixed crew from the United States, Japan, and Russia.
Who&#8217;s getting rescued? NASA astronauts Butch Willmore and Suni Williams docked at the ISS on June 6 and were scheduled to spend eight days aboard the space station. They were testing a new space capsule from Boeing, the Starliner. However, the Starliner experienced technical problems, and NASA delayed their return, citing unacceptable risks to the astronauts. Boeing maintained that the craft was safe and could have returned Willmore and Williams to Earth, but NASA had the final call.
During their extended stay on the ISS, Williams broke the record for the most time spent spacewalking by a woman: 62 hours and 6 minutes.
The Politics: According to President Trump, former President Biden effectively abandoned Willmore and Williams. Trump asked Musk, who is SpaceX&#8217;s CEO, to rescue them.
“[They] shouldn&#8217;t have been up there so long,” Trump said earlier this month. “The most incompetent president in our history has allowed that to happen to you, but this president won&#8217;t let it happen. We&#8217;re going to get them out.”
NASA has disputed Trump&#8217;s characterization, saying that the astronauts weren’t stranded and that nine months on the space station isn’t unprecedented by any stretch, considering astronauts have stayed on the ISS for more than a year. But judging by their reaction to the replacement crew&#8217;s arrival, they are definitely ready to leave. They could be back home as early as Tuesday evening.

Rep. Cori Bush Sleeps Outside Capitol Building In Push To Extend Federal Eviction Moratorium

Morning Brief: Dems Divided, Trump Hits Terrorists, And A Space Rescue Unfolds

Chuck Schumer

Democrats

Houthis

Media

Morning Wire

Red Sea

Ukraine-Russia War

Yemen

A SpaceX crew docked at the International Space Station (ISS) early Sunday morning on a mission to relieve two NASA astronauts who have been stuck in space for nine months.
The SpaceX Crew-10 Dragon capsule docked at the ISS just after midnight on the east coast after launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday evening, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/16/us-news/spacex-crew-10-successfully-docks-at-international-space-station-paving-way-for-stranded-nasa-astronauts-return-to-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. The capsule carried a four-person crew <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-spacex-crew-10-launches-to-international-space-station/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">composed</a> of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.
Video from the ISS showed the Dragon capsule approach and dock at the orbiting space station.
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Crew 10 Dragon vehicle arriving! <a href="https://t.co/3EZZyZW18b">pic.twitter.com/3EZZyZW18b</a>
&mdash; Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) <a href="https://twitter.com/astro_Pettit/status/1901144974202118268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Cameras inside the space station caught the moment that the Dragon crew entered the hatch of the ISS just before 2 a.m. EST. The astronauts from the Dragon and ISS greeted each other warmly with hugs and smiles.
“The hatch of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft opened March 16 at 1:35 a.m. ET and the members of Crew-10 entered the @Space_Station with the rest of their excited Expedition 72 crew,” NASA’s Johnson Space Center said in a post on X.
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All the hugs. 🫶
The hatch of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft opened March 16 at 1:35 a.m. ET and the members of Crew-10 entered the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> with the rest of their excited Expedition 72 crew. <a href="https://t.co/mnUddqPqfr">pic.twitter.com/mnUddqPqfr</a>
&mdash; NASA&#39;s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson/status/1901149221610271099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Hi everybody down there on Earth. Crew-10 has had a great journey up here, about 28 hours to get back up to the space station,” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/16/spacex-capsule-docks-with-iss-to-bring-back-stranded-nasa-astronauts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> McClain, the Dragon crew’s commander on a live video of the docking. “And I cannot tell you the immense joy of our crew when we looked out the window and saw the space station for the first time.”
“You can hardly even put it into words.” she added, “orbiting the Earth for the last couple of days, it has been absolutely incredible.”
SpaceX undertook the mission to relieve and retrieve American astronauts Butch Willmore and Sunita Williams, who have been on the ISS since June after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft suffered technical issues and had to return to Earth unmanned. Willmore and Williams were originally expected to stay aboard the ISS for just 10 days.
&#8220;It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive,&#8221; Williams <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/science/alien-encounter-nasa-astronaut-plays-joke-spacex-team-arrives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Mission Control after the Dragon crew arrived.
Crew-10 is expected to rotate into roles on the ISS and be trained for several days before Willmore and Williams leave the station with American Nick Hague and Russian Aleksandr Gorbunov.

International Space Station

WATCH: SpaceX Crew Arrives On ISS To Relieve Stranded Astronauts: ‘A Wonderful Day’

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