Two NASA astronauts, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months due to a spacecraft malfunction, are finally set to return to Earth on Tuesday evening.
Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams initially embarked on a short mission in June last year as part of the first crewed flight of Boeing’s Starliner. However, a failure in the propulsion system made the spacecraft unsuitable for their return, forcing them to remain aboard the ISS for an extended period.
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On Sunday, NASA confirmed that Wilmore and Williams would now be returning aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The spacecraft is expected to splash down off the coast of Florida at approximately 5:57 PM local time on Tuesday. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the return was moved up due to unfavorable weather conditions later in the week.
“The revised return schedule ensures sufficient time for crew handover while maintaining operational flexibility,” NASA stated.
Unexpectedly Lengthy Stay
Wilmore and Williams will not be traveling alone, as they will be joined by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, both of whom have also completed their ISS missions. Their departure preparations will commence on Monday evening, and the journey back to Earth will be broadcast live.
Although their stay exceeded the usual six-month ISS rotation, it was still shorter than NASA astronaut Frank Rubio’s 371-day mission in 2023. The longest continuous space mission, however, remains with Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days aboard the Mir space station.
To accommodate their extended mission, Wilmore and Williams received additional supplies, including clothing and personal care essentials. The prolonged stay has drawn public interest, with many expressing concern for the astronauts, who have been separated from their families for nearly a year.
Their return also marks the conclusion of a significant challenge for Boeing’s Starliner program, which has faced persistent technical issues and delays. The spacecraft’s reliability will continue to be closely evaluated as NASA determines its future role in crewed space missions.
