On June 5, 2024, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for an eight-day mission to the ISS, which was extended due to technical malfunctions. After returning on March 18, 2025, Elon Musk claimed SpaceX could have brought them back sooner, sparking political controversy, but NASA and the astronauts emphasized safety over politics. Ultimately, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom successfully brought Williams and Wilmore back after nine months in space, highlighting the importance of multiple commercial spaceflight providers for astronaut safety and future collaborations with NASA.
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