Sunita Williams and Crew Set to Return to Earth After Nine-Month Stay on ISS
After months of uncertainty, NASA astronaut of Indian origin, Sunita Williams, and her fellow space traveler Butch Wilmore are finally set to return to Earth. NASA has announced that the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) yesterday, will bring them home on March 18 (Tuesday) at 5:57 PM EDT (March 19, 3:27 AM IST).
A Journey That Was Supposed to Last Just Eight Days
Williams and Wilmore embarked on their space mission in June last year aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Originally planned as an eight-day experimental mission, it was meant to test Boeing’s crewed spacecraft. However, technical issues plagued the mission from the start. Before departure, multiple mechanical problems were detected in the spacecraft, but after repairs, it was finally cleared for launch.
Unfortunately, midway through the journey, more technical failures occurred, particularly with the propulsion system. Although the spacecraft safely reached the ISS, the issues were severe enough that the astronauts did not feel safe returning in the same vehicle. This led to a nine-month delay in their return as NASA worked on alternative plans to bring them back safely.
Politics and Delays in Their Return
The prolonged delay even became a subject of political controversy. Current U.S. President Donald Trump accused former President Joe Biden of intentionally delaying Williams and Wilmore’s return. While NASA remained focused on technical solutions, the political blame game added another layer of complexity to the situation.
Now, with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully docking at the ISS, their return is finally confirmed. The spacecraft has brought four new astronauts to the ISS:
- Anne McClain and Nicole Aunapu Mann from NASA
- Takuya Onishi from Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
- Kirill Peskov from Russia’s space agency Roscosmos
Final Preparations Before Departure
According to NASA, before departing, Williams and Wilmore will formally transfer all operational responsibilities to the newly arrived astronauts. Additionally, they will inspect the Crew Dragon’s systems to ensure a safe return.
Initially, reports suggested that their return might not be possible before Wednesday, but today, NASA confirmed that they will return on Tuesday instead. Along with Williams and Wilmore, two other astronauts will return to Earth:
- Nick Hague (NASA, USA)
- Alexander Gorbunov (Roscosmos, Russia)
Return Timeline
- Departure from ISS: March 18, 1:05 AM EDT
- Journey duration: 17 hours
- Splashdown: March 18, 5:57 PM EDT (March 19, 3:27 AM IST) off the coast of Florida
Williams and Wilmore Express Gratitude
A video shared by Reuters shows Williams and Wilmore thanking both President Trump and Elon Musk for facilitating their return. Williams humorously mentioned, “Don’t make any plans without us. We’re coming back before it’s too late!”
Wilmore added, “We are grateful to Musk and, of course, to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, for everything they have done for us, for our country, and for human space exploration.”
Longest Stay on the ISS
The ISS has been continuously inhabited for the past 25 years, with crew members typically staying for six months before returning. However, Williams and Wilmore’s nine-month stay has broken the usual pattern.
Still, their record is far from the longest stay in space. NASA astronaut Frank Rubio holds the American record, having spent 371 consecutive days on the ISS in 2023. The all-time record belongs to Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 continuous days aboard the Mir Space Station from 1994-1995.
With their return now imminent, Williams and Wilmore are excited to finally be heading home after an unexpectedly long mission.
