NASA has confirmed that Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months, will not return to Earth before March 19.
Mission Extended Due to Technical Issues
Williams and Wilmore originally traveled to the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for what was planned as an eight-day mission. However, technical issues with the spacecraft significantly extended their stay, making it one of the longest crewed missions on the ISS.
SpaceX Crew-10 Set for Launch on March 14
NASA’s next crewed mission, SpaceX Crew-10, is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on March 14 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. This mission will carry four astronauts to the ISS: NASA’s Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Their arrival will enable Williams and Wilmore to begin their long-awaited return journey.
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Delays in Rescue Mission
NASA initially planned an earlier launch for Crew-10, but unfavorable weather conditions, including high winds and precipitation along the launch trajectory, led to delays. Additionally, SpaceX engineers had to resolve a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm at Launch Complex 39A.
Despite the setbacks, NASA now reports highly favorable conditions for the March 14 launch, with a greater-than-95% chance of acceptable weather. However, if postponed to March 15 or 16, weather conditions may become less favorable, with forecasts predicting a 50-60% chance of delays.
Sunita Williams and Crew to Return on March 19
Once Crew-10 arrives and docks at the ISS on March 15, they will spend a few days acclimating before taking over operations from Crew-9, which includes Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Aleksandr Gorbunov. NASA has confirmed that Williams and her crew will return to Earth no earlier than March 19.
NASA’s Steve Stich, manager of the Commercial Crew Program, praised the dedication and efficiency of the teams working to ensure a safe transition, stating,“I am extremely proud of our NASA and SpaceX ground engineers and joint operations teams in quickly identifying and resolving issues. Their commitment to both excellence and safety is a true testament to the strength of this integrated team.”
