NASA astronauts respond to Elon Musk after he called former commander of the ISS a slur

Another day, another Twitter rager and this time it's between Elon Musk and three NASA astronauts.

It turns out being accused of doing a 'Nazi salute' wasn't enough for Musk when it came to kicking off 2025, with the Tesla CEO having taken to Twitter to use a slur against a former NASA astronaut.

A clip from a Fox News broadcast of US President Donald Trump and Musk was shared to Twitter showing the pair discussing the two astronauts - Sunita 'Suni' Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore - who were meant to be in space in June for eight to days but now won't return until March.

Musk says: "At the president's instruction, we are accelerating the return of the astronauts which was postponed kind of, to a ridiculous degree.

"[...] They were left up there for political reasons which is not good."

And it didn't take long for European Space Agency astronaut and commander of ISS for Exp 70, aerospace engineer Andreas Mogensen to respond, resharing the post, adding: "What a lie. And from someone who complains about lack of honesty from the mainstream media."

Musk's reply?

"You are fully r******d. SpaceX could have brought them back several months ago. I OFFERED THIS DIRECTLY to the Biden administration and they refused," he said.

"Return WAS pushed back for political reasons. Idiot."

Andreas Mogensen hit out at Elon Musk (Twitter/@Astro_Andreas)

Former NASA astronaut and US Navy Captain Scott Kelly then weighed in, arguing Mogensen is 'one of the most competent, trustworthy and honest people' he's 'ever met', noting he would know as was the commander of the International Space Station when Mogensen 'flew his first space mission'.

"This rhetoric is beyond the pale but, sadly, not surprising. He does not deserve this kind of disrespect," he added.

Alas, Musk continued: "Yes, he does. He is an idiot who publicly attacked me, despite having no idea what ACTUALLY happened. Btw, your brother claims to be independent, but is just a Dem donor shill."

Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly then tagged Musk and challenged him to 'come talk to the three' of them only when he 'finally get[s] the nerve to climb into a rocket ship'.

*Mic drop* (Twitter/@CaptMarkKelly)

Mogensen later added: "Elon, I have long admired you and what you have accomplished, especially at SpaceX and Tesla.

"You know as well as I do, that Butch and Suni are returning with Crew-9, as has been the plan since last September.

"Even now, you are not sending up a rescue ship to bring them home. They are returning on the Dragon capsule that has been on ISS since last September."

UNILAD has contacted Elon Musk's representatives for comment.