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2mo ago

NASA Astronauts Stranded on ISS for Nine Months Prepare for Return via SpaceX Mission

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's extended stay follows Boeing Starliner issues; SpaceX Crew-10 set to facilitate their return.

From left to right, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague and Suni Williams appear Tuesday for a media conference before the three join Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov for a return voyage to Earth.
Sunita Williams' leadership ensured seamless operations with Crew-10 en route, demonstrating the continued international cooperation on board the space station.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will be returning to Earth on a SpaceX craft soon
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Overview

  • NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been on the International Space Station for nine months, far exceeding their planned eight-day mission due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
  • The astronauts are scheduled to return to Earth as part of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, following the arrival of the Crew-10 team on March 13, pending weather and technical checks.
  • Crew-10, consisting of astronauts from NASA, Roscosmos, and JAXA, will launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endurance on March 12, marking the next phase of the ISS crew rotation.
  • The prolonged stay of Williams and Wilmore highlighted the challenges of spacecraft reliability and the complexity of ISS operations, including supply chain adjustments and resource management.
  • The incident has sparked discussions about the future of commercial spaceflight, with Boeing's Starliner facing delays and NASA reevaluating its certification timeline for the spacecraft.