Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Begin Return Journey After Nine Months Stranded on ISS
Washington, D.C.: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly nine months, have finally begun their return journey to Earth. The two astronauts boarded SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, which was sent to retrieve them, and successfully undocked from the ISS.
The American space agency NASA is live-streaming the undocking process, with scientists closely monitoring the operation from mission control. The hatch of the Crew Dragon was securely closed at 8:15 AM IST on Tuesday, followed by the spacecraft’s detachment from the ISS at 10:15 AM IST. After separating, the spacecraft began orbiting in preparation for its return.
According to NASA’s schedule, the Crew Dragon will ignite its engines for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere at 2:41 AM IST on Wednesday. Approximately 40 minutes later, at 3:27 AM IST, the spacecraft is expected to make a splashdown in the waters off the coast of Florida. Rescue teams are on standby to recover the astronauts and bring them safely back to shore.
A Delayed Return Due to Technical Issues
Williams and Wilmore originally arrived at the ISS on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as part of its first crewed test flight. As per the initial plan, they were scheduled to return to Earth within a week. However, due to multiple technical issues detected in the Starliner spacecraft, NASA decided to send it back to Earth without the astronauts, leaving Williams and Wilmore stranded on the ISS for months.
Their prolonged stay became a significant challenge for NASA and Boeing, as engineers worked on diagnosing and resolving the Starliner’s technical faults. In the meantime, both astronauts continued their scientific research and maintenance duties aboard the ISS while awaiting a safe return plan.
With the successful departure of Crew Dragon from the ISS, the long wait for Williams and Wilmore is finally coming to an end. Once they land in Florida, they will undergo medical examinations and debriefings before reuniting with their families.
NASA’s handling of the Starliner’s failure and the astronauts’ extended stay on the ISS has raised concerns about the reliability of future crewed missions aboard the Boeing spacecraft. However, NASA has assured that all necessary precautions are being taken to ensure astronaut safety in future missions.
The return of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore marks the resolution of a months-long challenge for NASA, highlighting both the risks and resilience of human space exploration.
