NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are set to return to Earth after a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Initially launched in June 2023, their stay was unexpectedly extended due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule and delays in receiving their replacements. They will return later this month on a SpaceX flight, accompanied by two astronauts who launched separately in September. Williams emphasized the importance of ongoing research aboard the ISS, countering Elon Musk’s suggestion to deorbit it early. Despite the challenges, both expressed readiness for homecoming and excitement to reunite with family.
Two NASA astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station are just weeks away from finally making their way back to Earth after a nine-month stay in space.
Butch Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams were aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule, which launched last June, marking its debut with a crew after numerous delays.
The duo anticipated a return after just a week, but complications with the Starliner’s journey to the space station led NASA to deem it unsafe for passenger transport, resulting in an empty return flight.
Further postponement was caused by the added time required to finish preparations for the new SpaceX capsule that was meant to bring their replacements.
They are now waiting for their replacements to arrive at the ISS next week before they can prepare for departure later this month.
They will be returning home on a SpaceX flight alongside two astronauts who launched independently in September, leaving two seats vacant.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Wilmore remarked that while politics is inherently part of life, it did not factor into the timeline for his and Williams’ return, which was expedited by a shift in SpaceX capsule schedules. In January, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk of SpaceX indicated a desire to hasten the astronauts’ return, attributing delays to the prior administration.
However, Williams expressed her disagreement with Musk’s recent suggestion to decommission the space station in two years instead of adhering to NASA’s planned deorbit in 2031. She emphasized the importance of the ongoing scientific research conducted at the facility.
“This place is thriving. It’s truly extraordinary, so I would say we’re actually in our prime right now,” stated Williams, who has spent time in the space station three times.
“I would think this may not be the best moment to declare an end.”
Williams also mentioned her eagerness to be reunited with her Labrador retrievers. She pointed out that the most challenging aspect of their unanticipated extended stay was the emotional toll on their families back on Earth.
“It’s been quite the roller coaster for them, probably even more so than for us,” she shared. “We’re here. We have a mission. We just go about our daily tasks, and every day holds excitement because we’re in space, and it’s a lot of fun.”
Last month, NASA announced that the next crew would be launching in a previously used capsule, advancing the liftoff to March 12. The two crews are set to spend approximately a week together on the space station before Wilmore and Williams return alongside NASA’s Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov from the Russian Space Agency.
Wilmore and Williams — both retired Navy captains and experienced astronauts — have consistently affirmed that they are in good health and dedicated to the mission for as long as necessary. They conducted a spacewalk together in January.
They will don generic SpaceX flight suits for their return home, deviating from the usual custom-designed attire that features their names due to the unanticipated nature of their trip back in a Dragon capsule. They are perfectly fine with this, though Wilmore joked he might add his name with a pen to his suit.
“We’re simply Butch and Suni,” Williams concluded. “By now, everyone knows who we are.”