SpaceX recently launched a rocket to send new astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) to retrieve Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who had been stranded there. This launch aims to conclude the two astronauts' extended service of over nine months on the space station.
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NASA's stuck astronauts welcome their newly arrived replacements to the space station
03-16, 2025Initially, Wilmore and Williams were expected to stay on the International Space Station for only eight days. However, due to technical issues with the experimental spacecraft they were aboard, their stay was prolonged far beyond expectations, ultimately exceeding nine months. According to the plan, Wilmore and Williams will embark on their return journey to Earth two days after the new batch of astronauts arrives at the space station.
Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, expressed relief about the upcoming return of the astronauts. "Butch and Suni have done an excellent job, and we are very happy to bring them back," Stich said. The two astronauts will return to Earth with their colleagues on the International Space Station: NASA's Nick Hague and Roscosmos's Aleksandr Gorbunov. Replacing them are four astronauts from Russia, Japan, and the United States.
Dana Weigel, manager of the International Space Station program, stated that the veteran crew members will begin their journey back to Earth after completing a two-day handover. However, she also pointed out that the return may be slightly delayed due to the need to wait for suitable weather conditions on Earth for the safe reentry of the capsule. "Weather conditions are crucial, and if the weather conditions are not ideal, we will wait patiently," Weigel explained to reporters. She also mentioned that the astronauts had already begun preparing for the handover last week. "Butch rang the ceremonial bell, and Suni handed over command to Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin."
Despite the much longer than expected stay, the astronauts have consistently expressed satisfaction with their life on the space station. Suni Williams even called the space station her "happy place." However, Dr. Simeon Barber of the Open University in the UK told BBC News that this extended service may bring personal losses to the astronauts. "When you're sent away for a week's business, you certainly don't expect it to last nearly a year," Dr. Barber said. "This long stay in space will certainly disrupt their family life, and they will miss many things at home, so they will experience a period of turmoil."
Wilmore and Williams arrived at the International Space Station in early June 2024 to test an experimental spacecraft called "Starliner," manufactured by aerospace company Boeing, a competitor of SpaceX. The mission had been delayed for several years due to technical problems during the spacecraft's development. Issues also arose during the spacecraft's launch and docking with the International Space Station, including problems with some of the "Starliner" thrusters (which are necessary for the spacecraft to decelerate into the Earth's atmosphere) and helium leaks in the propulsion system.
NASA believes that even a small risk of having Wilmore and Williams return on the "Starliner" is undesirable when they have the option of using SpaceX's "Dragon" spacecraft to bring them back. NASA ultimately decided that the best option was to bring them back during the planned astronaut rotation, even if it meant the astronauts would stay on the space station for a few more months. Boeing has consistently maintained that it is safe for Wilmore and Williams to return on the "Starliner" and is unhappy with NASA's decision to use its competitor's spacecraft. Dr. Barber believes this is "embarrassing" for Boeing. "It's not a good look for Boeing to see the astronauts they sent into space returning on a competitor's spacecraft."
Former U.S. President Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have both stated that Wilmore and Williams could have been brought back to Earth sooner, expressing this view in a joint interview with Fox News in February. Trump said, "They were forgotten in space." When interviewer Sean Hannity elaborated, saying "They were supposed to be there for eight days, and they've been there for almost 300 days," Trump responded with one word: "Biden." Musk then added, "They were left there for political reasons."
NASA's Steve Stich denied this claim. "We studied various options and worked with SpaceX to find the best solution. After weighing all the factors, we believe that the plan currently being implemented is the best choice," he said. Dr. Libby Jackson, Head of Space Exploration at the London Science Museum, also supported the decision. She previously worked at the European International Space Station Control Centre. "Butch and Suni's well-being has always been everyone's top concern when making decisions about how best to deal with the situation they face," she said. "NASA made these decisions based on good technical and programmatic reasons and found the right solution to ensure Butch and Suni's safety. I am very much looking forward to seeing them and their fellow astronauts return safely to Earth."
