Sunita Williams already voted ‘no confidence’ in Elon Musk before Starship blew up

Even as SpaceX's Starship launch ended in a bust-up — a spectacular one over the Bahamas — on Thursday, 6 March, halting air traffic across four US airports, CEO Elon Musk's judgement has already been questioned by professional humans in space.

Lay netizens have (unsurprisingly) called for defunding the agency following what was the eighth failed flight, raining debris on the Bahamas and startling those who may have been living under a rock. Several recalled FAA investigations into the safety of these flights — it's not the first time they have interrupted commercial air traffic (remember 16 January's diversions?).

The federal agency stated that while a probe into the Flight 7 mishap — it broke up within 10 minutes of takeoff — was ongoing, the FAA had determined SpaceX ‘met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight’, according to a statement reported by CNN.

Meanwhile, a day back, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams pushed back against a recent suggestion by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to accelerate the deorbiting of the International Space Station (ISS). Speaking to reporters from aboard the ISS, Williams emphasised the station’s ongoing scientific value and advocated for its continued operation until at least 2030.

Williams expressed her strong support for the ISS, describing it as fully functional and still at its peak. "This place is ticking. It’s just really amazing. So I would say we’re actually in our prime right now. We’ve got all the power, all of the facilities up and operating. So I would think that right now is probably not the right time to call it quits," she said.

That was putting it very politely, of course.

NASA has planned to deorbit the ISS by the end of the decade, culminating in a controlled descent into the Pacific Ocean. However, Musk recently suggested that the station should be retired sooner, citing diminishing returns.

In a post on X, he wrote, "It is time to begin preparations for deorbiting the @Space_Station. It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars." Musk later clarified that while the decision ultimately rests with the US president, he recommended deorbiting within the next two years.

Williams disagreed, stressing the importance of maximising the ISS’s scientific potential. "We have probably till 2030 in our agreements. And I think that’s probably really accurate because we should make the most of this space station for our taxpayers and for all of our international partners, and hold our obligations and do that world-class science that this laboratory is capable of," she said.

After an unexpectedly prolonged mission, Williams is preparing to return to Earth. She and fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore arrived at the ISS in June last year aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, initially scheduled for an eight-day mission. However, technical issues with Starliner delayed their return, keeping them in orbit for nine months.

NASA and SpaceX are now coordinating their return. The SpaceX Crew-10 mission, scheduled to launch on 12 March, will transport a replacement crew to the ISS. Williams and Wilmore will then return to Earth aboard an older SpaceX capsule, expected to land on 19 March.

At a press conference, Williams was asked what she would miss most about space. Her response was simple yet heartfelt: "Everything."

Reflecting on her mission, she shared, "This has been Butch and my third flight to the ISS. We helped put it together, and we’ve watched it change over the years. Just living here gives us a unique perspective—not just from looking out the window, but on how to solve problems. I don’t want to lose that spark of inspiration and perspective when I leave, so I’m going to have to bottle it up somehow."

She acknowledged the challenges of the extended stay, particularly for loved ones back on Earth. "For us, we had a mission to focus on every day, but for our families and supporters back home, it’s been a rollercoaster. The hardest part has been not knowing exactly when we’d return. That uncertainty has been the most difficult part."

Williams is especially looking forward to reuniting with her Labrador retrievers. "These days have been a rollercoaster ride for them as well," she joked, adding that despite the delays, space travel remains "a lot of fun."

Williams and Wilmore, both key figures aboard the ISS, will soon be replaced by a new crew. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov are set to take over for a six-month mission.

Initially planned for a brief stay, Williams and Wilmore’s return was complicated by technical concerns with the Boeing Starliner, forcing NASA to opt for an alternative return plan. Now, with their replacements en route, their long-awaited journey home is finally imminent. Before departing, they will spend a final week aboard the ISS alongside the incoming crew, ensuring a seamless transition.

As Williams prepares to say goodbye to space, she remains passionate about the station’s future.

While debates continue about the ISS’s eventual deorbiting, her time aboard has reinforced her belief in its lasting scientific and exploratory value.