Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX is set to bring two stranded NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) astronauts back home. NASA has sought the help of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. to bring back Mrs. Sunia Williams and Butch Wilmore back to the Earth. The two have been stranded on the ISS (International Space Station) since June 5, 2024, when they set out on an eight-day mission but were unable to return as the Boeing (BA) spacecraft deemed unsafe to fly back at the time.
SpaceX’s Falcon9 Could Launch Today
SpaceX is sending four new crew members, dubbed “Crew-10” to the ISS through its Falcon9 spacecraft to carry out the mission. Musk’s company was expected to launch its rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida yesterday. However, the launch was halted due to a technical glitch in the hydraulics on one of the clamp arms, which engineers thought would not open correctly during the launch. Having said that, there is a possibility of the Falcon9’s launch today as the weather seems favorable, provided the error is fixed fully. If successful, Williams and Wilmore would be able to return to earth within a few days.
The duo has spent their time on the ISS helping in carrying out other ongoing missions, including maintenance and experiments. When the news of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft’s issue became known, the two astronauts said that they were prepared and trained for such unexpected circumstances. The Starliner rocket returned to earth empty in August due to safety concerns.
Musk Loves to Play the Blame Game
Ironically, the extended stay of the duo at the space station became a political talking point because Musk and President Trump claimed that the former president held up the decision to bring them back. Musk claims that he offered to send the SpaceX rocket on an emergency mission last year to bring back the stranded astronauts, but his offer was rebuffed by the administration. Meanwhile, NASA’s top officials say that they have not heard of any such offer. The decision to make the two astronauts stay longer was part of their plan to keep the space station fully staffed at all times.
Is Tesla a Buy, Hold, or Sell?
Musk’s political stances and interventions have marred his brand value, caused severe public backlash, and also hurt Tesla’s (TSLA) sales and stock price. Analysts have become cautious on Tesla’s stock trajectory and prefer to remain on the sidelines until the dust settles.
On TipRanks, TSLA stock has a Hold consensus rating based on 12 Buys, 12 Holds, and 12 Sell ratings. Also, the average Tesla price target of $331.07 implies 33.5% upside potential from current levels. Year-to-date, TSLA stock has lost 38.6%.
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