Elon Musk, the billionaire innovator behind SpaceX, arrived at the International Space Station earlier today with a mission to retrieve two American astronauts stranded since last summer due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Upon docking his Crew Dragon capsule, Musk was met with an unexpected sight: a swastika, crudely scratched into the side of his prized rocket. The discovery has prompted the Tesla CEO to abandon the rescue effort entirely, leaving the astronauts to fend for themselves while NASA scrambles to devise a new plan.
The astronauts, Anne McClain and Nick Hague, have been orbiting Earth for months longer than anticipated after their original ride home malfunctioned. Musk, who had boasted about his company’s ability to come in and save the day, was reportedly livid at the sight of the Nazi symbol etched into the spacecraft’s hull.
“I’m not risking my equipment for people who don’t respect it,” Musk said in a statement released by SpaceX Tuesday morning.
NASA officials confirmed the incident but offered no explanation for how the vandalism occurred in the vacuum of space. The agency has relied heavily on SpaceX in recent years to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS, a partnership that has now hit an unusual snag.
“We’re disappointed in Elon’s decision, but we’re working on alternative solutions,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
Speculation has swirled about the motives behind the swastika, with some pointing to the astronauts’ extended isolation as a possible factor. SpaceX engineers, meanwhile, are investigating whether the damage could have been caused by space debris or an intentional act.
“Elon built this company to push humanity forward, not to clean up someone else’s mess,” said SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell.
The stranded astronauts have yet to comment publicly, though sources close to the mission say they were blindsided by Musk’s abrupt departure. Their return now hinges on NASA’s ability to cobble together a backup plan, potentially delaying their homecoming by months.
“Space is hard, but this is a new level of ridiculous,” said former astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent nearly a year aboard the ISS.
Musk, for his part, appears unmoved by the criticism, tweeting on Tuesday that he’s focusing on “bigger priorities” like colonizing Mars. The decision has sparked debate about the privatization of space travel and the limits of relying on eccentric billionaires to solve government problems.
For now, McClain and Hague remain in orbit, their fate uncertain as the world watches NASA try to pick up the pieces.
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