Two NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, are set to return to Earth after an extended stay in space that has lasted nearly nine months. Originally scheduled to leave the International Space Station (ISS) on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, technical issues deemed it unsafe for their return. As a result, the astronauts remain on the ISS much longer than initially planned.
The astronauts will now depart the ISS aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which has been docked at the station since September 2024. They are slated to depart just after 12:45am ET on Tuesday and are expected to splash down off the coast of Florida in the evening. Their replacements arrived at the ISS on Sunday, allowing Williams and Wilmore to finally begin their journey home.
Williams and Wilmore’s space trek, which began on June 5, 2024, was initially scheduled to last only eight days. The standard rotation for astronauts on the ISS typically lasts about six months. Despite the extended duration of their stay, the astronauts have managed to maintain their health through regular exercise and a well-structured routine.
Boiling’s Starliner spacecraft, intended for their return, experienced helium leaks and thruster malfunctions during its maiden voyage to the ISS. Although some of the thrusters were later restored, NASA considered the spacecraft unsafe for human travel and decided to send it back empty, leaving Williams and Wilmore stranded. In August 2024, NASA announced that the astronauts would be returning on a SpaceX vehicle.
Throughout their extended stay, Williams and Wilmore have continued to conduct experiments and maintain contact with their families through email and telephone. They even marked the festive season with a special Christmas dinner. The pair has also carried out a spacewalk together, demonstrating their adaptability and professionalism in the face of unexpected challenges.
Williams and Wilmore’s situation is not unprecedented. Previously, astronauts have faced extended stays in space due to various circumstances. Frank Rubio, for example, spent 371 days on the ISS due to issues with the Soyuz spacecraft that brought him to orbit. In 1991, Soviet astronaut Sergei Krikalev endured a 311-day stay on the Mir space station due to political and funding challenges.
NASA is providing live coverage of the departure and return journey of the astronauts. The Crew Dragon capsule is expected to undock from the ISS shortly after 12:45am ET (04:45 GMT) and splash into the Atlantic Ocean by around 6pm ET (22:00 GMT).
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/18/nasa-astronauts-stuck-in-space-to-return-to-earth-all-you-need-to-know?traffic_source=rss
