Two NASA astronauts are set to return to Earth after being stranded in space for nine months.
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore will depart the International Space Station (ISS) early on Tuesday and are expected to land off the coast of Florida in the evening. Due to safety concerns, their original return spacecraft, Boeing’s Starliner, was deemed unfit for the journey, leading to their extended stay in space.
Here is everything you need to know about their prolonged stay and anticipated return:
Who are the two astronauts stuck in space?
The two astronauts stranded aboard the ISS are Sunita “Suni” Williams, 59, and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, 61, both seasoned NASA-trained space travelers.
Williams, the current ISS commander and a retired US Navy officer, joined NASA in 1998. Throughout her career, she has spent 322 days in space and completed nine spacewalks.
Wilmore, who first flew to space in 2009 on the Space Shuttle Atlantis, had logged 178 days in space before the Boeing Starliner mission. He has conducted research on various topics during his time on the ISS.
In the Boeing mission, Wilmore was the commander and Williams was the pilot.
When and how are they returning to Earth?
Wilmore and Williams are expected to depart the ISS after their replacements arrived on Sunday. They will return on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, docking off the coast of Florida.
The Crew-10 astronauts arrived at the ISS on Sunday, allowing Wilmore and Williams to prepare for their journey back home. The departure is scheduled to take place early on Tuesday.
The return journey of Williams and Wilmore will be livestreamed by NASA, with the Crew Dragon capsule splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean later in the evening.
Why were they stranded?
Williams and Wilmore were stranded after technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft prevented their return to Earth. The spacecraft experienced several malfunctions during its journey to the ISS, leading to their extended stay.
After NASA deemed the Starliner too risky for human travel, Williams and Wilmore had to wait for an alternative means of transportation back to Earth.
Now, with the arrival of the Crew-10 members, they can finally head home.
How long have they been stranded?
Williams and Wilmore have been in space since June 5, 2024, surpassing their original mission duration by several months.
The astronauts have adapted to the extended stay by following a structured routine and maintaining contact with their families.
Despite the unexpected circumstances, they have remained in good health and are ready to return to Earth.
Have astronauts faced similar situations in the past?
Williams and Wilmore are not the first astronauts to experience an extended stay in space due to unforeseen circumstances.
Ada kasus sebelumnya di mana astronot harus tetap berada di orbit lebih lama dari yang direncanakan karena masalah teknis atau peristiwa geopolitik.
Perjalanan luar angkasa tunggal terpanjang oleh seorang astronot AS adalah misi 371 hari Frank Rubio di atas ISS, dari 2022 hingga 2023, diperpanjang karena masalah dengan pesawat luar angkasa Soyuz yang membawanya ke orbit. Dia akhirnya kembali dengan kapsul Soyuz yang berbeda.
Pada tahun 1991, astronot Soviet Sergei Krikalev terdampar di atas stasiun luar angkasa Mir yang kini sudah tidak aktif selama 311 hari karena pembubaran Uni Soviet.
Ketegangan politik dan kekurangan dana menunda kepulangannya, memaksa dia untuk tetap berada di orbit jauh lebih lama dari yang direncanakan. Ketika ia akhirnya mendarat pada Maret 1992, ia tidak kembali ke Uni Soviet, tetapi ke Rusia yang baru merdeka.