The situation has drawn comparisons to NASA’s 2024 space drama, when American astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were marooned on the International Space Station (ISS) after a capsule malfunction.
Social Media Rallies Behind Elon Musk
Following reports of the damaged Chinese capsule, social media users began tagging Musk and SpaceX, urging them to intervene.
“Send Elon,” one user posted on X. Another quipped, “When you’re stuck in space, who you gonna call? Elon Musk and SpaceX.”
The billionaire’s private space company has developed a strong reputation for its ability to conduct emergency missions, particularly after rescuing NASA astronauts stranded on the ISS last year. That successful recovery, completed via the Crew-9 mission, returned the astronauts safely to Earth in March 2025 aboard the Dragon Freedom spacecraft after a 287-day stay in orbit.
China’s Backup Plan in Motion
Despite public pleas for Musk’s help, China’s space agency has its own contingency systems in place. Aerospace blogger Yu Jun, who writes under the name Steed’s Scarf, reassured the public that a secondary return craft is ready to be launched if needed.
