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Astronauts’ extended stay due to technical issues
Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been at the ISS since June, after arriving on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft for a mission that was initially expected to last one week.Due to technical issues with the Starliner, including helium leaks and thruster problems, they will now return to Earth on a SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon mission scheduled for no earlier than September next year.
Nasa and Boeing spent weeks investigating the Starliner’s issues before announcing that the spacecraft will make an uncrewed return. Nasa recently announced that the premier space agency is working with SpaceX to reconfigure the mission, which is set to launch no earlier than September next year to accommodate the return of the two astronauts.
Legal troubles surrounding SpaceX and Musk
Elon Musk and his companies have faced significant scrutiny from the federal government. SpaceX is currently under investigation by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over allegations that the company enforced illegal severance agreements with workers.
This investigation is on hold following SpaceX’s lawsuit challenging the NLRB’s structure. A Texas federal judge ruled last month that SpaceX’s case may proceed while pausing the NLRB’s investigation.
Additionally, SpaceX is entangled in a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) last year. The DOJ alleges that SpaceX engaged in hiring discrimination against asylum recipients and refugees. SpaceX denies these claims, citing export control laws and regulations.
The company has also challenged the constitutionality of the DOJ’s administrative judges, arguing that they wield executive power and should be appointed by the president. A federal judge agreed with SpaceX’s arguments, and the DOJ’s case is currently on hold pending the outcome.
Beyond SpaceX, Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla is also under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The probe focuses on Tesla’s claims about its self-driving features and whether certain statements might have misled consumers and investors to believe that Tesla cars can drive themselves.
Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, now known as X, in 2022 is also under SEC investigation. Regulators are examining whether Musk violated federal securities laws during the takeover.
Musk has expressed strong opposition to the SEC’s investigations. He labelled them as harassment, which led him to skip a deposition last fall. A judge ruled this spring that Musk must participate in the deposition.
After losing the lawsuit to avoid the deposition, Musk agreed in late May to be questioned by the SEC and will not appeal the decision regarding the subpoena.
Despite these legal battles, SpaceX continues to play a crucial role in space missions. The reconfigured mission with SpaceX aims to ensure the safe return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.
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