NASA Plans Early Return for Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore

NASA has announced plans to bring astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth earlier than initially scheduled, after their stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) was extended by a series of technical delays. The duo, who have been in space for over eight months, are now expected to return on March 19, a full two weeks earlier than their previously planned departure in April.

This change comes as a result of a delay with SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission, which was originally slated for February but has been pushed back to March due to issues with the new Dragon capsule. The spacecraft was supposed to be used for the mission, but technical problems related to the capsule’s systems caused the delay.

Williams and Wilmore have been aboard the ISS since June 2024 as part of Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test. While their initial return was supposed to happen in early April, the spacecraft they were assigned, SpaceX’s Crew-9 capsule, has been docked at the ISS since September 29, waiting for the Crew-10 mission to arrive. This waiting period is necessary to ensure a seamless handover of operations between the two crews.

By adjusting the spacecraft assignments, NASA is now able to expedite the return of Crew-9 and clear the way for the early departure of Williams and Wilmore. The move will allow for the safe and timely return of the astronauts, who have been operating aboard the ISS for an extended period while also experiencing delays due to technical issues, including propulsion system malfunctions and helium leaks detected during their mission.

Despite some public confusion, including a statement from former President Donald Trump suggesting that the astronauts were “stranded” in space, NASA has confirmed that Williams and Wilmore are not stranded and that their return is planned and on track for mid-March.