Astronauts return to Earth takes an ugly turn: Elon Musk sparks outrage after hurling shocking insult at famed astronaut who called him out

After making fun of Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen during a furious dispute on X, Elon Musk provoked outrage.

What sparked Elon Musk’s controversial response?

Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen's criticism of Musk's assertion that NASA astronauts were stranded for political reasons, a claim which the astronauts themselves denied, startled the dispute.

Andreas Mogensen, a European Space Agency astronaut who flew a mission for Musk's SpaceX in 2023, accused Elon Musk of lying; in response to the criticism, Elon Musk used a shocking slur against Andreas.


Elon Musk argued with Andreas Mogensen on his social media platform, calling him "fully ret---ed.” Many disabled communities view the term as a slur and derogatory remark.

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On his X account, Mogensen wrote, "What a lie." "And from someone who gripes about the mainstream media's lack of integrity." The criticism did not sit well with Elon Musk, as per a report.

Did NASA astronauts actually feel stranded?

While taking the high road in his response, Mogensen intensified his criticism of Musk's initial assertion, which the two astronauts in question, Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been in space for eight months, have denied. The astronauts contested this narrative in a CNN interview last week.

He praised Musk's accomplishments at SpaceX and Tesla but also mentioned that the astronauts are returning with Crew-9, not a rescue ship.

The Dragon capsule, which has been on the ISS since last September, is carrying them back.

Both Elon Musk and President Donald Trump have frequently accused the Biden administration of failing to return the astronauts sooner after problems with the aircraft caused their return from the ISS to be delayed, as quoted in a report by the Daily Beast.

Since Donald Trump took office, Elon Musk has significantly increased his use of the derogatory terms, as reported by the Daily Beast.

FAQs

Why did Elon Musk insult Andreas Mogensen, an astronaut?
Mogensen criticized Musk's claim that NASA astronauts were stranded in space due to political reasons, prompting Musk to respond with a derogatory comment.

How did the astronauts describe their situation?
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore denied feeling stranded, saying their return date was always set for March 12.