NASA Astronauts Stranded on ISS for Months Set to Return on SpaceX Dragon

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's extended mission caused by Starliner issues is expected to end with a March 19 return to Earth.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been on the ISS since June 2024 due to delays caused by technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
The Starliner mission, initially planned as an eight-day trip, was extended after thruster failures and helium leaks forced the spacecraft to return to Earth unmanned in September.
Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth on March 19 aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, along with two other crew members, pending mission readiness certification.
Elon Musk claimed the delay was politically motivated, but both NASA and Williams' mother, Bonnie Pandya, dismissed this, emphasizing the scientific nature of the mission.
Despite concerns about the astronauts' health during the prolonged stay, NASA reports they are healthy and closely monitored, maintaining a strict exercise regimen.