NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore’s long-awaited rescue mission has encountered another setback. Originally scheduled to return to Earth via SpaceX, their extended stay on the International Space Station (ISS) will now approach the 10-month mark, with their return pushed to Spring 2025.
The two astronauts have been stranded in space since their June 5 launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner. What was intended to be a one-week mission has turned into a prolonged ordeal after their malfunctioning spacecraft returned to Earth without them, triggering a series of delays.
Amid disputes between NASA and Boeing, the Starliner was deemed unsafe for their return due to persistent issues, including leaks and thruster failures. NASA then turned to SpaceX for assistance. Elon Musk’s company modified its Crew-9 mission to make room for Williams and Wilmore on the Crew Dragon capsule. While their return was initially planned for February, NASA now projects their journey back to Earth will occur in late March or even early April.
The Cause of the Delay
NASA officials explained that SpaceX requires additional time to prepare the replacement capsule for launch. Although alternative capsules were considered to maintain the schedule, NASA ultimately decided to extend the astronauts’ stay, opting to wait for the new Crew Dragon to be ready.
In the meantime, the astronauts are embracing the holiday spirit aboard the ISS. After celebrating Thanksgiving, they’re preparing for weightless Christmas festivities with their colleagues. Williams and Wilmore plan to connect with family and friends via video calls, bringing some cheer to their extended mission in space.
