NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set to return to Earth after an extensive nine-month mission in space. Their departure, initially anticipated sooner, has been postponed until their replacements arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) next week. The astronauts will journey home aboard a SpaceX capsule, alongside two of their colleagues who launched solo last September, filling two vacant seats.
During a news conference, Wilmore noted that although political factors are part of life, they did not influence their return schedule, which was adjusted to accommodate changes in SpaceX’s capsule operations. In late January, both US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk urged for an expedited return of the astronauts, attributing delays to the previous administration’s actions.
Williams voiced her disapproval regarding Musk’s recent suggestion to decommission the ISS in two years instead of allowing it to operate until NASA’s planned deorbit in 2031. She highlighted the critical scientific research ongoing at the station, stating, “This place is ticking. It’s just really amazing… right now is probably not the right time to say quit, call it quits.”
Looking forward to their homecoming, Williams expressed excitement about reuniting with her labrador retrievers, acknowledging that the most challenging aspect of their extended stay was the difficulty experienced by their families back on Earth. She explained, “It’s been a roller coaster for them, probably a little bit more so than for us.”
Initially, Wilmore and Williams expected to spend just a week in space when they launched last June aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which was its crew debut after facing several delays. However, due to various setbacks, including significant issues with the Starliner, it has not yet flown with a full crew and returns were complicated further by changes needed on SpaceX’s end.
In a twist of fate, additional work required for the SpaceX capsule resulted in a delay, prompting NASA to opt for a previously used capsule for the upcoming crew’s launch, now scheduled for next Wednesday. The astronauts will spend roughly one week together aboard the ISS before Wilmore and Williams depart alongside NASA’s Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov from the Russian Space Agency.
As they prepare for their return, both astronauts remain committed to their mission, finding joy in their daily activities aboard the space station.