Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have spent nearly nine months in space, are scheduled to return to Earth on Tuesday (March 18). Their extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) came after issues with the spacecraft that was initially meant to bring them home.
The return mission was confirmed following the successful arrival of Crew-10 at the ISS on Saturday night, bringing Wilmore and Williams’ replacements. The two astronauts are set to embark on a 17-hour journey back to Earth on Tuesday, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
With Crew-10 officially taking over ISS duties, Wilmore and Williams, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are scheduled to return aboard the Crew-9 capsule on March 18, 2025.
Stranded in Space
Wilmore and Williams were the first astronauts to fly Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft during a test flight in June 2024. They initially arrived at the ISS on June 5, 2024, as part of Boeing Starliner’s first crewed test flight.
However, after reaching orbit, the mission encountered multiple technical issues, including five helium leaks and five reaction control system (RCS) failures. Due to these complications, NASA deemed it too risky to bring the astronauts home as originally planned.
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As a result, what was supposed to be an eight-day mission stretched to over two months before NASA officially canceled the return flight on August 24, 2024. The Starliner spacecraft returned to Earth without Wilmore and Williams on September 6, 2024.
While awaiting a replacement crew and a safe return plan, Wilmore and Williams remained active in their ISS duties, conducting maintenance work and scientific experiments. Williams even completed a spacewalk lasting nearly 5.5 hours, making her the first woman to hold the record for the longest extravehicular activity in space.
Return to Earth
The two astronauts is set to return to earth after nearly nine months in space. NASA initially planned to bring the astronauts with Crew-9 back on Wednesday night, but unfavorable weather conditions over the weekend delayed the return of the Crew Dragon capsule. As a result, the agency postponed the return to Tuesday.
According to Reuters, the astronauts are expected to land off the coast of Florida, with the exact landing site dependent on weather conditions.
(Raidi/Agung)
